By Deborah Alsina MBE, Chief Executive
Every day, around 1,200 people in the UK are diagnosed with arthritis. Many more go undiagnosed. In total, over 10 million people - 1 in 6 of us - live with this condition in the UK. Yet arthritis remains under the radar, misunderstood and under-prioritised.
We want to change that and that’s why we’re launching a bold new chapter as Arthritis UK.
Listening to lived experience
Today, we published our new report: Left Behind, Left Waiting: The Reality of Living with Arthritis. It’s based on a representative survey of nearly 8,000 people across the UK, and the findings are stark:
Here’s some top lines of what people living with arthritis told us:
- Nearly 1 in 3 said arthritis had a very severe or severe impact on their life in the past year.
- 6 in 10 live with pain either most or all of the time.
- Of those who have waited for treatment, 2 in 3 said waiting negatively affected their mental health.
Other important insights are that:
- Fatigue is the most under-treated symptom - 70% said treatment doesn’t help.
- Nearly half of people from lower-income backgrounds have had to stop working because of arthritis.
- 42% said arthritis increased their cost of living - including through heating, travel, and treatment expenses.
“Arthritis gradually impacts every area of life, and gradually you feel your world getting smaller as you measure every activity you do by the amount of pain and stiffness you experience or anticipate experiencing.”
Across almost every measure we found that people from lower social grades (often a marker for lower income and deprivation) experience greater levels of pain, worse management of their condition, and are less likely to use, and find useful, self-management techniques. They are also more likely to develop arthritis 10-15 years earlier than those who are more affluent and to be living with multiple long-term conditions.
I find this so tough to hear and read. But it highlights that, as in so many areas, those who are often the most vulnerable in society are disadvantaged further at every turn and people living with arthritis are no different.
Our survey also highlights that younger adults who receive a diagnosis often struggle more than their older peers, and this is impacting heavily on their life choices. Yet arthritis is still largely viewed by society as a disease that only impacts older people whereas the reality is it can impact you at any age. At Arthritis UK, we will do all we can to make sure younger people living with arthritis have access to the support and care they need to live happy and fulfilled lives.
The misconceptions around arthritis and lack of understanding of its impact on people’s lives mean other diseases and health conditions dominate public attention and spending and their interconnection with arthritis is often overlooked. For example, people with osteoarthritis (the most common form of arthritis) have a 60% increased risk of diabetes and 3x the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
That stacking of conditions can make it harder to manage any of the conditions, let alone the pain and fatigue associated with arthritis. Arthritis should not be considered as just a condition - it’s a major contributor to comorbidities and diminished quality of life.
The bottom line is that despite decades of evidence, arthritis still doesn’t get the attention it deserves. This must change.
A legacy of impact, a future of possibility
We’ve been turning research breakthroughs into real-world change for nearly nine decades - understanding causes, progression, and treatment of arthritis in all its forms. Today, we’re proud to be the world’s largest dedicated funder of arthritis research, aiming to maintain around £100 million of investment at any one time.
Our work has led to some of the greatest breakthroughs in arthritis treatment and care, including the development of biologics and innovative cell therapies that repair early damage.
We also provide trusted information, education, and support. Last year alone, we distributed 1.2 million health information booklets, and 94% of our service users would recommend our expert support.
Yet, as our report highlights, there is still so much more to do.
Why we rebranded
Given the scale of the challenge, we realised we must look inward first to identify what we needed to do differently to create the conditions for greater impact. We listened - to our community, and to people living with arthritis who had never heard of us. And there were far too many.
We heard clearly from our community that our name and brand were getting in the way. We were hard to find. Our offer was unclear. And many didn’t even realise we were a charity.
So, guided by our core value of being brave, we made a bold decision: to change our name and identity.
Our new name, Arthritis UK, is simple, strong, and unmistakable. It reflects our role as the UK’s leading arthritis charity - and renews our commitment to working across all four nations.
Our mission remains unchanged
We’re still working toward a future free from arthritis and our mission remains unwavering. We won’t rest until everyone has access to the treatments and support they need to live the life they choose - with real hope of a cure.
To drive the change we seek, we’ll continue to fund world-leading research and look for ways to translate research findings into practice quicker, we will scale up our education programmes for healthcare professionals to ensure they make the best clinical decisions, and we will continue to campaign for evidence-based change. Importantly, we will also make sure more people know about the information and support we offer.
Join us in driving change
Whether you live with arthritis, care for someone who does, work in healthcare, or simply want to make a difference - we need you.
- Donate to fund life-changing research
- Share your story to raise awareness
- Volunteer your time or expertise
- Campaign with us to influence policy
- Spread the word so more people know we’re here