Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan has given an assurance that sufferers of fibromyalgia could qualify for benefits.

Responding to a House of Keys question from Jason Moorhouse (Arbory, Castletown and Malew), who wanted to know whether the Treasury planned to recognise the condition as disabling, Mr Cannan said: ’Treasury already supports certain sufferers of fibromyalgia syndrome through the provision of incapacity related and disability related benefits.

’Entitlement to those benefits is subject to the statutory conditions being satisfied.’

In terms of disability living allowance (DLA) and attendance allowance, Mr Cannan said it was ’not relevant which particular condition or conditions a person suffers from - rather, entitlement is dependent on the level of care or supervision needs a person has as a result of their disabling condition’.

Similarly, the mobility component of DLA was dependent on how much a condition impaired the claimant’s mobility.

The NHS describes fibromyalgia as a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body. Sufferers may also have increased sensitivity to pain and suffer extreme tiredness and muscle stiffness.