Ahead of MS Awareness Week (28 April - 4 May) Dame Rebecca Harris, MP for Castle Point, attended a Parliamentary event hosted by the MS Society, to learn about issues facing the multiple sclerosis (MS) community.
The event – which followed the government’s recently announced plans to change disability benefits – saw MPs from across the political spectrum meet with people affected by MS. They were also joined by familiar faces including comedian Ivo Graham, legendary R&B artist Junior Giscombe and former Lioness captain Mary Phillip.
Dame Rebecca talked to people with MS about the challenges they are facing, from support in work, accessing benefits to receiving treatment and care on the NHS. This echoed the theme of this year's MS Awareness Week which is encouraging people to have #MSConversations.
Over 150,000 people live with MS in the UK, including 13,685 in the East of England. The condition affects the brain and spinal cord, impacting how people move, think and feel. Symptoms are different for everybody and often invisible. But once diagnosed, MS stays with you for life, and over time your symptoms can get worse.
Many people with MS rely on disability benefits like Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to help manage the extra costs of their condition. For example, paying for visits from carers to help with things like washing, cooking and going to the toilet. This means the government’s proposed changes to disability benefits, including plans tighten the PIP eligibility criteria, could have a significant impact on people with MS.
Dame Rebecca Harris MP says: “I’m proud to join the MS Society in speaking up for the MS community. Working in collaboration with the charity, I look forward to drawing attention to the challenges that people with MS face and calling for change. It is crucial that Members across the House understand these challenges so that future legislation is effective.”
Dr Sarah Rawlings, Executive Director of Research and External Affairs at the MS Society, says: “We’re so glad that Dame Rebecca Harris joined us in Parliament today to learn more about the reality of living with MS. The condition can be debilitating, exhausting and unpredictable, and almost half of those affected rely on PIP to help maintain their independence. So it’s vital we work closely with MPs from across Parliament to highlight issues like access to effective treatments, disability benefits and the impact of the government's welfare changes.
“We look forward to working with Dame Rebecca to raise these topics in Parliament, and champion the voices of the MS community. With her help, we can bring MS to the forefront of political conversations and make real change.”
To find out more about MS, and the MS Society’s work, visit www.mssociety.org.uk
