Thank you for contacting me about support for people living with multiple sclerosis (MS). I appreciate how challenging this condition can be to live with.
With more than 100,000 people across the UK diagnosed with MS, it is important that people with this condition have access to the best treatments available and are supported with the cost of living.
I welcome NICE’s commitment to keeping innovative and potentially life-changing drugs under review. It is positive that NICE are currently assessing whether Fampridine should be made available through the NHS in England, as it currently is in Scotland and Wales.
Since 2015, £150.6 million has been spent on research into MS through the National Institute for Health Research and UK Research and Innovation. This funding has the potential to improve the quality of care and treatments available to support people living with MS.
I appreciate the challenges that many people living with MS are facing with the rising cost of living at the moment. Earlier this year, the Government announced a one-off disability payment of £150 to recognise the higher costs faced by disabled people, including those living with MS.
People living with long term conditions such as multiple sclerosis may be eligible for the Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
The PIP is designed to offer claimants the correct level of care for their needs, which focuses on an individual’s ability to carry out key everyday activities, and claims are reviewed so those suffering from long-term conditions are appropriately supported by the care and welfare system.
I also welcome the Government’s consultation on welfare payments which aims to improve and reform the system. The results of this consultation will be published in the near future.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.