Today marks the launch of a one-day national campaign, #SCCforME, calling for the recognition of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (M.E./C.F.S.) under the Severe Conditions Criteria (S.C.C.). The campaign’s goal is to protect individuals with this lifelong, disabling condition from repeated benefit reassessments.
Despite overwhelming scientific and medical evidence showing that recovery from M.E./C.F.S. is rare, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) currently does not automatically recognize it under the S.C.C. This means that people with M.E./C.F.S. are forced into repeated reassessments, which can be harmful, exhausting, and wasteful.
The #SCCforME campaign is not about expanding benefits or increasing eligibility, but rather about efficiency, fairness, and compassion. It calls for automatic recognition of M.E./C.F.S. as a lifelong condition under the S.C.C., clearer guidance to assessors, and an end to repeated reassessments for those who have already been awarded Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA).
To support the campaign, members of the public are encouraged to send a pre-written email to the DWP or their MP, post campaign messages on social media using #SCCforME, and share campaign graphics to amplify visibility. According to the campaign organizers at Stripy Lightbulb CIC, a surge of emails and social media posts on one day will create urgency and impact, making it harder for decision-makers to ignore.
More information, including template emails, social media posts, and shareable graphics, can be found on the blog at stripylightbulb.org. In a statement, Sally Callow, Managing Director of Stripy Lightbulb CIC, emphasized that the campaign is not about getting more people onto benefits, but rather about stopping the waste of taxpayer money and ending harmful reassessments for those with M.E./C.F.S. She stressed the importance of shifting the focus from functionality to permanency in the system, given the rarity of recovery in the absence of approved treatments or a cure.
For media inquiries, please contact Sally Callow at info@stripylightbulb.com or 07725 658199.
