Report

No compromises

This report from UK think tank the Work Foundation looks at supporting people with MS to thrive in and out of work.

There are an estimated 150,000 people living with multiple sclerosis (MS). It is a condition that affects the central nervous system and can cause problems with movement, thinking and feeling. People’s experience of MS can change over time and affect individuals in different ways.

In partnership with the MS Society, the Work Foundation at Lancaster University has undertaken a study to improve the understanding of the employment experiences of people with MS. It analyses existing literature, secondary data and a survey of 1,125 people with MS in the UK and highlights the enablers and barriers to staying, progressing and thriving in work.

MS impacts people’s ability to work, with 96% of survey respondents reporting that their MS has had an impact on their ability to work. For some people with MS, leaving work may be the right choice and 24% of respondents report they were unable to work at all due to the severity of their symptoms.

However, people with MS who can work face significant challenges at work and one in two (50%) respondents indicated that they compromised their health by staying in jobs that did not meet their MS related needs. Nearly a third (31%) stated that they worked in a job that was below their skill level.

Better workplace and social support is needed to enable people with MS to fulfil their potential at work.