Dear Editor, 

An estimated 5,900 people live with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the North East. 

The condition can be debilitating, exhausting and unpredictable, and people face overwhelming extra costs – from mobility aids to visits from carers.  

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is supposed to help people manage these costs. But in reality, assessments often don’t consider the fluctuating and invisible symptoms of conditions like MS, making people feel unheard and disbelieved. So, all too often, people are left fighting for support they need to live independently. 

We now have an opportunity to fix this injustice. A new review into PIP, called the Timms Review, has published a call for evidence. The review team want to hear people’s views and experiences of how PIP is currently working. They’d also like to hear ideas about how the process could be improved. They will then put forward recommendations to the government. The deadline to share your views is Thursday 28 May. 

If you have experience of PIP, make sure your voice is heard. Find out how to have your say by visiting mssociety.org.uk/pip-consultation.  

Yours sincerely, 
Nick Moberly, CEO of the MS Society