The government has finally decided to provide help to thousands of coal miners who have been suffering from Osteoarthritis of the knee, commonly known as Miners’ Knee. The disease is characterised by stiffness, pain, and inability to move freely, and is very common amongst the miners who have worked underground for ten years or more.
The decision to help these miners is expected to come in force from the summer. Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, James Purnell, confirmed the addition of this disease to the list of ‘prescribed diseases’, under which compensation can be claimed from the government through the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit.
Purnell said that it was necessary to provide help to miners who were suffering from this problem after putting in many years of service. Miners’ Knee, he said, has made life difficult for thousands of retired miners and has forced many others to end their careers early. He was pleased that the government had finally decided to provide some financial help to all these deserving victims.
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DWP Parliamentary Under Secretary, Kitty Ussher, was also pleased with the relief measure announced for all miners who had been suffering for no fault of their own. She said that thousands of miners stand to benefit from this aid.
In addition, Ministers have also decided to accept the recommendation of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council regarding the procedure to identify the victims eligible for the compensation under Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit.