Letters Disabled people hit by price rises

LAST winter disabled people told us they were rationing their energy use, affecting their physical and mental health. This winter we fear a repeat.

Prices are still much higher than last year, especially for food and other essentials. This hits everyone, but it hits disabled people even harder due to the extra costs of disability.

With the Energy Bills Support Scheme no longer in place, and no new targeted cost of living support in the Autumn Statement, disabled people are being pushed towards breaking point.

We’re hugely concerned at the lack of additional funding for social care in the Autumn Statement.

Social care urgently needed a substantial cash injection, but we didn’t see this. Instead, a continued lack of funding and an ongoing workforce crisis still leaves disabled people without vital support.

There is a funding gap now. In April 2024 this will grow further, after the National Living Wage increase gives some social care workers a much-needed wage rise. Funding is urgently needed to stabilise social care, pay for wage rises for care workers and deliver wider social care reforms.

Without further funding, local authorities will be delivering realterms cuts to social care packages. This will mean disabled people going without essential care.

We welcome the decision to uprate benefits in line with the usual September inflation rate. But this is cold comfort to many disabled people facing a winter with energy bills 13% higher than last year.

The Government has said it’s reforming welfare. While we agree welfare reform is needed, the latest announcement and the language of sanctions are not helpful. Instead, this so-called reform risks demonising disabled people who draw on benefits.

Changes to the Work Capability Assessment are deeply concerning. These hastily rushed through changes risk depriving disabled people of £390 a month and pushing many into poverty as a result.

The Autumn Statement did not deliver for disabled people and will leave many questioning when support will come.

Amy Little

The Government wrongly thinks people no longer need this crucial support as everyone can start working at home. But we know disabled people are already overrepresented in roles that do not involve home working, especially in retail and in health and social care.

We also know only one in 10 jobs advertised this year offered homeworking as an option.

The Autumn Statement did not deliver for disabled people and will leave many questioning when support will come – both this winter and beyond.

Amy Little Head of Advocacy at Leonard Cheshire