MINERS and other workers who suffered crippling knee injuries as a result of working down the pits will be able to claim benefits for their condition from the summer, the Government has confirmed.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions James Purnell said yesterday that osteoarthritis of the knee would be added to the list of “prescribed diseases”, meaning that sufferers would now be able to apply for payments through industrial injuries disablement benefit.

Mr Purnell said: “This painful disease has made life very difficult for a large number of retired miners and forced others to end their working life earlier than planned, so I am pleased we are now in a position to be able to offer them valuable financial assistance.”

Terry Watkin, chairman of the Durham Mechanics’ Association Trust, which represents tradesmen such as electricians, fitters and joiners who worked in the pits, welcomed the decision.

He said it could only help a separate legal action which aims to force the Government to accept liability for such in- By Stuart Arnold stuart.arnold@nne.co.uk juries – on behalf of the former National Coal Board – and set up a national compensation scheme as with those created for miners suffering from Vibration White Finger and lung disease.

He said: “To accept these knee injuries as a prescribed industrial injury will benefit our claim tremendously.”

The legal action, started by mining union Nacods South Wales and supported by the Scottish, Durham and Derbyshire branches of the National Union of Mineworkers, along with the Durham Mechanics Association, has yet to reach the High Court despite many months of legal argument.

Meanwhile, benefit claimants will have to be assessed by a doctor, with the amount of money they will be able to claim dependent on the severity of their illness.

They will also have to have worked underground for at least ten years.

Mr Watkin said he expected the number of claimants to be reduced because of the level of evidence required and the fact that many who worked in the industry had now died.

He said: “You have to prove you are suffering from osteoarthritis and don’t just have a bad knee, and there will be obstacles to overcome for someone to be able to claim this benefit.

“Quite a few of our members are also deceased as we were a pretty aged industry to start with.”