R.Rising costs of living are making everyday life more difficult for families across the UK, especially during the winter months when energy demand is at its highest. But new research showing the alarming extent to which people with disabilities are affected should prompt a rapid and targeted response. In one case, a severely disabled child in Wales lost an overnight care package because she could not afford to heat her home to the level required by her nurses. For obvious reasons, it is disproportionately harmful to all those who need more energy for heating and powering medical equipment. In this case, hospice provided placement, but ministers cannot expect charity to fill the gap created when public provision collapses.
The Resolution Foundation used a recent survey of 8,000 people, combined with data from before the recent inflation spike, to determine the median income gap between households with and without disabilities in the UK. was found to be 44%. This calculation excludes disability benefits. This makes sense when asking for similar comparisons. This is because these benefits are intended to compensate for the high cost of living due to having a disability.
Researchers also found that nearly three times as many adults with disabilities reported being materially deprived nearly three times as often as adults without disabilities. Overall scarcity rates have decreased as gas prices have fallen between 2013-14 and 2020-21, but these days necessities are becoming more difficult to obtain. With more than one-third of her adults with disabilities reporting being unable to afford basic supplies and 41% reporting being unable to keep their homes warm, the situation is generally considered unacceptable. should be Hunger and cold can be expected to increase difficulties and risks for those who are already in poor health.
The employment gap between adults with and without disabilities is one area where policy makers should be more proactive. Other barriers, including discrimination and transportation costs, make it harder than it should be for people with disabilities to find and retain jobs. About one-third of adults in the lowest household income decile have a disability, compared to about one-tenth in the highest households. Another factor contributing to the relationship between disability and poverty is the role of caregivers. In addition to low income and employment rates for persons with disabilities, care obligations can limit families’ earning capacity.
However, unemployment among persons with disabilities and their relatives is not the only cause of income inequality. Benefit levels have remained low since the UK adopted austerity policies (although disability benefits such as pensions have increased relative to other working-age benefits). However, recent evidence indicates that payments are currently inadequate to cope with the high cost of living associated with disability. Recognizing this, the government has pledged to raise these benefits in line with consumer prices and repeat the cost of living payments. But with a backlog of about 250,000 new claimants awaiting evaluation, the delays and rising number of claims (including three times his number of applications from teenagers) are further reasons for his two concerns. provide. The pressure on pensioners with disabilities is another.
The number of people with disabilities in the UK has increased from 17% in 2013 to 23% in 2022. This points to a growing public health crisis and underfunding of health and care systems. Last year, 70% of new disability claims from people under the age of 25 were related to mental health conditions. This trend is alarming for many reasons and calls for evidence-based policy responses. However, the most urgent need is for Ministers to ensure that living standards of persons with disabilities do not fall further, causing hardship and further increasing the already unsustainable burden on voluntary sector bodies such as food banks. is to
