Quick answer: Choose the roadmap closest to your situation. Newly diagnosed: understand the condition, start treatment and exercise, learn to pace and plan for flares. Working: know your rights, ask for adjustments and check Access to Work. Carers: get equipment, a carer's assessment and breaks. Retired: keep moving, prevent falls, make home easier and check Attendance Allowance.
How to use these roadmaps. Pick the roadmap closest to your situation: newly diagnosed, working, caring for someone, or retired. Each one is a step-by-step journey through the guides on this site, in a sensible order. They are general routes, not a personal treatment plan, and you can dip in at any step. Last checked on 11 October 2026.
Arthritis affects people in very different ways depending on their stage of life. Someone just diagnosed needs to understand the condition and treatment. Someone working full time needs to know their rights and how to pace a busy week. A carer needs support for themselves as well as the person they look after. Someone who is retired may be thinking about mobility, falls, surgery or staying independent at home.
These four roadmaps bring together our most useful guides for each situation. Work through the steps at your own pace. Many people will find more than one roadmap relevant, for example a newly diagnosed person who also works, so feel free to combine them.
Which roadmap is for you?
- Roadmap 1: Newly diagnosed, for the first weeks and months after a diagnosis, or while you are waiting for one.
- Roadmap 2: Working with arthritis, for employees, the self-employed and anyone looking for work.
- Roadmap 3: Caring for someone with arthritis, for partners, family members and friends.
- Roadmap 4: Retired and living with arthritis, for staying active, safe and independent in later life.
Whichever roadmap you follow, one rule applies throughout: if you have a hot, swollen joint with a fever or feel unwell, get same-day help from your GP or NHS 111. In an emergency, call 999.
Roadmap 1: Newly diagnosed
A diagnosis can bring relief, worry and a lot of new information at once. This roadmap helps you take it one step at a time.
Step 1: Understand what you have been told
Start with our newly diagnosed guide, which explains the first steps in plain English. Then read about your condition, for example osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. If you are not yet diagnosed, our guide to arthritis symptoms and what to do next explains which symptoms need which kind of help.
Step 2: Know why acting early matters
For inflammatory arthritis, early treatment can make a real difference. Read why early action matters.
Step 3: Get to grips with treatment
If you are starting a new medicine, use our list of questions to ask about a new arthritis medicine. For pain relief options, including how to use anti-inflammatories more safely, see our arthritis pain relief guide and our guide to NSAIDs: benefits, risks and safer use.
Step 4: Start moving
Exercise is a core treatment for osteoarthritis and helps with many types of arthritis. Start with our exercise library and walking guide. If you are waiting for NHS physiotherapy, read what to do while you wait for physio and our waiting list help page.
Step 5: Learn to pace
Pacing helps you avoid the cycle of overdoing it on good days and crashing afterwards. Read our guide to pacing and energy management, then try the printable daily planner.
Step 6: Plan for flares
Learn your flare early warning signs, keep a flare action plan, and read our flare-ups hub.
Step 7: Look after the rest of you
Eating well, sleep and mood all matter. See our diet hub and our guide to arthritis and mental health.
Step 8: Find support
Our community pages list ways to connect with others. If arthritis is affecting your daily life or work, check whether you might qualify for benefits on our PIP and benefits hub.
Questions for your next appointment
- What type of arthritis do I have, and how sure are we?
- What is the plan for treatment, and when will it be reviewed?
- Who do I contact if I have a flare or a problem with my medicine?
- Can I be referred to physiotherapy or occupational therapy?
More guides for this roadmap: How NHS Referrals Work for Arthritis: From GP to Specialist; What Happens at a Rheumatology Appointment? A UK Guide to Your First Visit; Arthritis Blood Tests Explained: CRP, ESR, Rheumatoid Factor, Anti-CCP and More; Questions to Ask Your Consultant About Arthritis: A Ready-to-Use UK List; NHS Arthritis Pathways Simplified: Osteoarthritis, Inflammatory Arthritis and Gout; How to Choose the Right Exercise for Your Arthritis: A Practical Finder (UK); Arthritis Red Flag Symptoms You Should Never Ignore (UK).
Roadmap 2: Working with arthritis
Many people with arthritis keep working, often with some changes. This roadmap covers your rights, practical adjustments and what to do if you need time off.
Step 1: Know your rights
Arthritis can count as a disability under the Equality Act 2010 if it has a substantial and long-term effect on your normal day-to-day activities. If it does, your employer must consider reasonable adjustments. Read our guide to your rights at work and our work with arthritis guide.
Step 2: Decide what to tell your employer
You do not have to tell your employer about your arthritis, but they can only make adjustments if they know you need them. Our work guide explains how to approach the conversation.
Step 3: Ask for adjustments
Adjustments might include changes to your hours, workstation, duties or where you work. Read about flexible working and pacing.
Step 4: Check Access to Work
Access to Work is a government scheme that can help pay for support and equipment you need at work beyond reasonable adjustments. Read our Access to Work guide.
Step 5: Pace your working week
Use the weekly overview in our daily planner to spread demanding tasks, and plan rests and exercise around work.
Step 6: Know what to do if you need time off
Read our guide to sick pay, fit notes and time off. If you are returning after a bad flare, read returning to work after a flare.
Step 7: Check financial support
PIP can be claimed whether or not you work. If your income is low or you cannot work, Universal Credit may help. See our PIP and benefits hub and our guide to Universal Credit and limited capability for work.
Step 8: Look after yourself outside work
Keep up exercise and sleep, and plan for flares using the steps in Roadmap 1. Our driving with arthritis guide covers commuting by car.
A quick work checklist
- I know whether my arthritis may count as a disability at work ☐
- I have thought about which adjustments would help most ☐
- I have checked Access to Work ☐
- I know my employer's sickness policy ☐
- I have a plan for flare days at work ☐
More guides for this roadmap: Workplace Adjustment Letter Templates for Arthritis: Copy-and-Edit Letters and Plans (UK); Parenting With Arthritis: Practical Tips and Support From Baby to Teen.
Roadmap 3: Caring for someone with arthritis
If you help a partner, parent, child or friend with arthritis, you are a carer, even if you do not think of yourself as one. This roadmap helps you support them and look after yourself.
Step 1: Understand their condition
Read about their type of arthritis, starting with our newly diagnosed guide and condition pages. Understanding flares and fatigue helps you know what to expect.
Step 2: Help without taking over
Supporting someone while respecting their independence can be a balancing act. Read how to help without taking over. If you care for a parent, see our guide to caring for a parent with arthritis.
Step 3: Get the right equipment
The right aids can make daily tasks easier and safer for both of you. Read how to choose arthritis-friendly products, choosing mobility aids and our guide to short-term equipment loans. The person you care for can ask their council for a free needs assessment.
Step 4: Ask for a carer's assessment
The NHS says a carer's assessment is free and anyone over 18 can ask their local council for one, to see what support might help. Read our guide to the carer's assessment.
Step 5: Check financial help
GOV.UK says you could get Carer's Allowance if you care for someone for at least 35 hours a week and they get certain benefits. Read our Carer's Allowance guide. The person you care for may be entitled to PIP or Attendance Allowance.
Step 6: Plan breaks
Regular breaks help you keep going. Read about respite care.
Step 7: Watch for burnout
Caring can be exhausting. Learn the warning signs of carer burnout and talk to your GP if you are struggling. If you feel you cannot cope, Samaritans are available free, any time, on 116 123.
Step 8: Know when to get help
Learn the red flags in our symptoms guide, so you know when the person you care for needs urgent help.
Talking together
Set aside time to talk about what help is wanted, what is not, and what you both find hard. Agree how the person you care for will let you know when they are having a bad day, and which tasks you will take on during flares. Revisit the conversation as things change.
More guides for this roadmap: Housing Support for Arthritis: Adaptations, Grants, Council Tax and Moving Home (UK).
Roadmap 4: Retired and living with arthritis
Retirement can bring more time for activity and interests, as well as new challenges. This roadmap focuses on staying active, safe and independent.
Step 1: Keep moving
Staying active helps with pain, strength, balance and mood. Start with our exercise library, strength training for beginners and slow walking groups.
Step 2: Get the right footwear and aids
Good shoes and the right aid can help you walk further with less pain. Read choosing shoes for arthritis and choosing mobility aids.
Step 3: Reduce your risk of falls
Make a plan in case you fall, especially if you live alone. Read our falls plan. If you have fallen, our guide to what to expect at a falls clinic explains the next steps.
Step 4: Make home easier
Small changes can make a big difference. Read how to choose arthritis-friendly products, including help from your council and VAT relief. Our mattress guide and bed lever guide cover getting a better night's sleep.
Step 5: Think about surgery, if it comes up
If your doctor suggests joint replacement, read our guides to knee replacement and hip replacement.
Step 6: Check benefits and travel help
If you have reached State Pension age and need help with personal care, you may be able to claim Attendance Allowance. Read our Attendance Allowance guide. A Blue Badge can make parking easier. See our Blue Badge guide.
Step 7: Stay connected
Loneliness can affect mood and pain. Our community pages list ways to connect, and our mental health guide explains where to get help.
Step 8: Plan ahead
Thinking about future care can give peace of mind. Read our guide to advance care planning.
Questions for a medicines or health review
- Are all my medicines still needed, and could any increase my risk of falls?
- Could I be referred to physiotherapy, a falls service or an occupational therapist?
- Is my pain relief right for my kidneys, stomach and heart?
- What should I do if my mobility suddenly gets worse?
More guides for this roadmap: Retirement Planning With Arthritis: Pensions, Benefits and Practical Steps (UK); Motability Scheme and Arthritis: Who Can Join, How It Works and What It Costs (UK); Chair Exercises for Older Adults With Arthritis: A Safe 20-Minute Routine (UK); Balance Training for Arthritis: Safe Exercises to Stay Steady (UK Guide); Preparing for Joint Replacement Surgery: A Practical UK Checklist; Travel Insurance With Arthritis: A UK Guide to Declaring, Comparing and Claiming.
If you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland
Most of the steps above apply across the UK, but some services and benefits have different names or rules. In Scotland, Adult Disability Payment has replaced PIP, Pension Age Disability Payment is replacing Attendance Allowance, and carers apply for Carer Support Payment instead of Carer's Allowance, all through Social Security Scotland. In Northern Ireland, benefits are run by the Department for Communities, with information on nidirect. Health services are organised by NHS boards in Scotland and Wales and by health and social care trusts in Northern Ireland, so referral routes can differ.
Combining roadmaps
Life does not fit neatly into one box. If you are newly diagnosed and working, follow Roadmap 1 for the condition and Roadmap 2 for your job. If you are retired and caring for a partner, use Roadmaps 3 and 4 together. A simple approach is to pick one step from each relevant roadmap each week, rather than trying to do everything at once.
Keeping track of your progress
Print this page and tick off each step as you go. Use the end-of-day check in our daily planner to note what is helping. Bring your notes to appointments: they can help your GP, physiotherapist or specialist team understand what you have tried and what matters most to you.
When to get medical help
See your GP if pain, stiffness or swelling is getting worse, not improving after 2 weeks of self-care, or stopping you doing normal activities. Get same-day help from your GP or NHS 111 if a joint is hot and swollen and you feel unwell or have a high temperature. Call 999 or go to A&E for severe pain after a fall, a joint that looks out of place, or back pain with numbness in both legs or changes in bladder or bowel control.
Frequently asked questions
Are these roadmaps personalised to me?
They are tailored to four common situations, not to you as an individual. Use them alongside advice from your GP, physiotherapist and specialist team.
Which roadmap should I start with?
Start with the one closest to your situation. If you have just been diagnosed, Roadmap 1 is a good starting point whatever your age.
Do I have to follow the steps in order?
No. The order is a suggestion. Start wherever is most useful.
Can carers use the other roadmaps?
Yes. Carers may find Roadmap 1 useful for understanding the condition, and Roadmap 4 if they care for an older person.
Will you add more roadmaps?
We may add more, for example for younger adults and parents, as we publish more guides.
Where can I get personal advice?
From your GP, pharmacist, physiotherapist or specialist team. For benefits and work questions, free advice is available from Citizens Advice.
Sources and further reading
- NHS: Joint pain
- NICE NG226: Osteoarthritis in over 16s
- NICE NG100: Rheumatoid arthritis in adults
- GOV.UK: Disability rights: employment
- GOV.UK: Access to Work
- GOV.UK: Carer's Allowance
- GOV.UK: Attendance Allowance
- NHS: Carer's assessment
- mygov.scot: Adult Disability Payment
- mygov.scot: Pension Age Disability Payment
- mygov.scot: Carer Support Payment
Educational information for people in the United Kingdom, not personal medical, legal or financial advice. NHS processes, rules and prices change, so check the linked official sources and speak to your GP, specialist team or pharmacist about your own situation. Charity no. 1218461. Pending clinical review. If you feel very unwell, call 999 or go to A&E. For urgent advice, contact NHS 111.
Continue with related help
- Arthritis symptoms: what to do next — red flags and signposting
- Ask the Physio — send a question
- Share your story — consent-based stories
- Daily arthritis planner — printable