Covronavirus, Disability and Access to Services

Ms Oppong-Asare welcomed the Committee's approach to looking at the effects of the pandemic on people with protected characteristics. She highlighted that disabled people in her constituency struggled to access food, mobility support, and faced disproportionate impacts on employment due to the pandemic. She urged the Government to ensure proper support for disabled people in future emergencies and called for increased funding for health and care services tailored towards them.

The UK Government must ensure that its messaging on the pandemic and other communications are accessible to disabled people through BSL interpreters and in various formats. She highlighted issues of food insecurity faced by disabled individuals during the pandemic, including struggles to access online shopping and delivery slots due to website and telephone line inaccessibility for those with sensory impairments. The report recommends training for officials on psychologically informed communication regarding public health messages for disabled people.

Thanked the Women and Equalities Committee for their work on a report highlighting issues faced by disabled people during the pandemic. Raised concerns over high death rates among disabled individuals, difficulties accessing food due to government definitions of vulnerability, and lack of proper assessments for 'do not resuscitate' orders for those with learning disabilities. Called for an adoption of a social model of disability recognising societal barriers, better funding and reform in adult social care, improvements in support for children with special educational needs, and the issuance of a statutory code of practice on public sector equality duties.

Ms Osborne highlighted the lack of a BSL interpreter during Government televised briefings, emphasising that this issue is symptomatic of wider problems faced by disabled people. She mentioned unequal access to food, discriminatory practices in health and social care services, and worsened systemic issues in education for children with special educational needs. Ms Osborne urged an independent inquiry into how government policy led to disproportionate impacts on disabled individuals during the pandemic. She questioned the government's response to recommendations regarding the inclusion of food access in emergency situations within a national strategy for disabled people, and the rejection of proposals for a code of practice in health and social care.

Kim Johnson criticised the Government for its approach to social care and support for disabled people during the pandemic, noting significant inequalities in health, housing, employment, and income. She detailed shocking stories of inaccessible healthcare faced by people with learning disabilities and questioned the fairness of placing the burden of social care on those least able to pay.

Ms. Oswald highlighted the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on disabled people, noting that nearly half of those in poverty are either disabled or live with someone who is. She cited statistics showing 82% of disabled claimants spent more money during the pandemic and two-thirds had to go without essential items. She criticized the Government's response as insufficient and called for a permanent £20 uplift to universal credit and an extension to legacy benefits.

Marion Fellows highlighted the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus pandemic on disabled individuals, citing reports that nearly half of those in poverty are disabled or live with someone who is. She noted issues such as delayed employment and support allowance assessments leading to financial hardship for claimants. The SNP called for extending the £20 universal credit uplift to legacy benefits like ESA but was met with refusal by the Government.

Ms Siddiq highlighted systemic issues in the SEND system exacerbated by the pandemic, citing a lack of BSL interpreters and accessible communication formats at the start of the crisis. She also raised concerns over 'do not attempt resuscitation' notices being issued without consent for disabled individuals during both waves of coronavirus.

Grateful for the debate on disability and access to services, Wera Hobhouse highlighted issues faced by disabled people during the pandemic, including difficulties in accessing food, confusion over guidance, and isolation. She mentioned a constituent who was born with a rare breathing problem but did not receive a food parcel until mid-June despite registering as extremely vulnerable. The MP also pointed out that disability employment advisors have fallen by 32% during the pandemic.