Ian was diagnosed with Parkinson’s 11 years ago. He says, “Three years ago, I was declared ‘fit for work’. I felt so deflated – I was a business site manager and enjoyed my job, but I had already been living with Parkinson’s for eight years and was nowhere near capable of working. I appealed the decision and had a hugely stressful three months, waiting to hear my fate. If I get too stressed, my tablets don’t work and that just makes things even worse. Thankfully, the decision was overturned, but the prospect of losing benefits again at future assessments is dreadful – I would have to give up my car and be a prisoner in my own home.”