Our impact
2024/25: Our year in numbers
At Arthritis UK, we're committed to creating lasting change for people living with arthritis — and this impact report is a major milestone. It's our first ever visual snapshot of the progress we’re making together, shaped by the voices of our community.
Guided by our five-year strategy, we're focused on better prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and awareness — and this report helps us understand where we are, and where we need to go next.
Services
In 2024/25, our staff and volunteers delivered 302 self-management sessions, supporting people living with arthritis to manage their condition.
Over six weeks, participants learn about lifestyle changes, ways to communicate with friends, family and healthcare professionals, and how to exercise safely with arthritis. Alongside our self-management courses, 1,072 information and bitesize support sessions were delivered across the UK.
Helpline
In 2024/25, our trained helpline advisors answered 20,790 telephone calls and emails from people looking for help and information on arthritis.
A survey sent to people following an interaction with the helpline reported that almost half of respondents said their pain is so bad that it has a significant impact on carrying out daily activities.
The good news is that just over half of respondents (57%) said that contacting our helpline improved their ability to reduce the impact of their condition on their day-to-day lives.
It was really good to discuss my concerns with a member of Versus Arthritis [now Arthritis UK]. I was given help and advice about what I could do moving forward. The call gave me confidence that there are a lot of things I can try out to help me cope. A very positive experience.
Young People and Families Service
Over the last year, we welcomed 1,581 attendees across 93 activities, workshops and residential events. We also offered 3,724 support and information sessions for young people and parents/carers in hospitals
and communities across the UK, as well as digitally, through our one-to-one work.
Training for healthcare professionals
By training current and future healthcare and workplace professionals, we aim to improve the treatment and care that people living with arthritis receive. We deliver both Core Skills workshops and Patient Voice sessions, as well as providing access to online resources.
In the last year, we delivered face-to-face and online training sessions to 1,367 healthcare professionals and students, and our self-learning resources
Best study day I’ve attended in a long time. Came away feeling I’d learnt something and more confident about tackling tricky topics with patients.
Policy and influencing
2024 was our biggest campaigning year yet. 187,639 campaign actions were taken as a result of campaigns we launched.
We hosted two parliamentary events to help build our network of Arthritis MP Champions – MPs who support our work and take action for people with arthritis. Around 80 MPs from across the UK attended and were able to speak to some of our campaigners, hearing directly what it’s like to live with arthritis and the changes needed to help them live the lives they choose.
Research
During 2024/25, we awarded £16.6 million across new research projects, bringing our total investment over the past 20 years to more than £367 million.
In Arthritis UK grants activity, 102 applicants were funded across 20 research awards.
Our research partners are a group of individuals with lived
experience of arthritis conditions who work in partnership
with us to make decisions about our research. This year, we worked with 130 research partners, an increase from last year.
Download the full impact report
At Arthritis UK, we're committed to creating lasting change for people living with arthritis — and this impact report is a major milestone. It's our first ever visual snapshot of the progress we’re making together, shaped by the voices of our community.
Guided by our five-year strategy, we're focused on better prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and awareness — and this report helps us understand where we are, and where we need to go next.