People living with Crohn's Disease, and other forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) are being failed by both the benefits system and the workplace.

 

Crohn's Disease is a lifelong, incurable condition that affects the digestive system - but its impact goes far beyond that. It is not simply a "stomach issue". It is a severe, whole-body illness that can be physically and mentally debilitating.

 

People with Crohn's Disease can experience:

• Sudden, urgent diarrhea up to 10-20+ times a day, often with little or no warning.
• Night-time symptoms that disrupt sleep constantly, leading to chronic exhaustion.
• Severe abdominal pain, nausea, and loss of appetite.
• The inability to consume a balanced or healthy diet.
• Malnutrition due to the body being unable to absorb nutrients properly.
• Extreme weight loss.
• Chronic fatigue, dizziness, and weakness that make even basic tasks impossible.
• Brain fog, memory loss and concentration issues.
• Weak bones, join pains, skin issues, tooth decay, liver failure, kidney failure, and other complications outside of the digestive system.

There are many other symptoms of IBD that vary in complexity and seriousness from case to case. For many, these symptoms are unpredictable and fluctuate daily - making it impossible to function reliably or safely in a traditional work environment.

 

This is not to compare or diminish other health conditions or disabilities. Many people face serious and life-altering challenges. However, Crohn's Disease and IBD in general come with specific difficulties that are often misunderstood, overlooked, or not properly accounted for - and that is what this petition aims to address.

 

Despite this, people with Crohn's are often expected to continue working as normal - or face having no income at all.

 

 

The benefits system does not reflect reality!

 

The current assessment processes, particularly for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), are not designed with conditions like Crohn's Disease in mind.

Many of the questions focus on basic physical tasks such as lifting, speaking, or feeding oneself - areas that people with Crohn's may technically be able to do.

 

However, this completely ignores the real disabling impact of the condition:

 

• The inability to leave the house safely due to unpredictable and urgent bowel movements
• The need for immediate and constant access to a toilet
• Severe fatigue and exhaustion that prevent sustained activity
• The inability to reliable complete tasks due to sudden symptoms

As a result, many people with Crohn's are denied support, not because they are well enough - but because the system does not ask the right questions.

 

This is a fundamental flaw.

 

 

Delays are leaving people without support.

 

Waiting times for support such as PIP and Work Capability Assessments can take months at a time.

During this time, people are often:

 

• Left with little or no income
• Forced back into work before they are medically fit
• Pushed into worsening their condition just to survive financially.

No one should have to risk their health simply to afford basic living costs.

 

 

Understanding the reality.

 

For many people, Crohn's Disease is something they may have heard of - but not something they truly understand.

It is only when it affects someone close to you - a partner, a relative, a friend - that the full reality becomes clear.

 

The exhaustion. The urgency. The unpredictability. The loss of normal daily life. 

 

Until then, it is easy to underestimate just how disabling this condition truly is.

That lack of understanding is part of the problem - and part of why so many people with Crohn's are left without the support they need.

 

 

We are calling for:

• Faster processing of disability benefit claims for people with diagnosed IBD
• Reform of the PIP assessment process to properly reflect fluctuating and complex invisible conditions
• Recognition of urgent bowel needs and severe fatigue as disabling factors
• Greater understanding of Crohn's Disease and IBD within the DWP
• Stronger workplace protections and enforcement of reasonable adjustments

 

 

Why this matters...

 

People with Crohn's Disease are not asking for special treatment - we are asking for fair and accurate understanding.

 

We should not have to fight this hard to prove how unwell we are!

 

We should not be force into work when our bodies are physically unable to cope.

 

Living with Crohn's Disease is already a daily battle - the system should not be making it harder.