Cost of Living: Financial Support for Disabled People

People feel abandoned by the Tory Government, particularly disabled individuals who face financial challenges due to rising costs. The £150 disability cost of living payment is inadequate compared to soaring expenses such as food prices up 19%, electricity up 16%, and gas up 129%. Disabled people are more affected by austerity measures and earn less per hour than non-disabled individuals, leading to in-work poverty. Assistive technology costs are rising, making it difficult for disabled people to access healthcare services. On accessible workplaces, the speaker questioned why this place, which legislates for equality, struggles to adapt for people with disabilities, raising concerns about expectations from other workplaces to make similar accommodations.

People with disabilities face higher poverty rates at 28%, compared to 19% for those without disabilities. Unpaid carers are also more likely to live in poverty, and over a quarter face challenges due to rising costs of living. The charity Scope found that disabled households need an additional £1,122 monthly to maintain the same standard of living as non-disabled households after accounting for inflation. Inquired about the warm home discount and raised concerns over its exclusion of certain individuals due to assumed characteristics in their bills, suggesting the scheme is crude. Expressed disappointment at the lack of mention of carers and highlighted the importance of a national carers strategy.

One in three disabled people live in poverty, which is twice the rate of non-disabled people. The adequacy of social security support for disabled people has diminished over the past 12 years.

Highlighted the struggles faced by young people with cancer, those with myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome, and individuals who have had stem cell or bone marrow transplants. Noted that these groups face financial difficulties due to rising living costs and delays in receiving necessary benefits. Brought up the needs of young carers, mentioning delays in payments and suggesting that the process could be streamlined further.

The hon. Gentleman is very informed and detailed on this topic so I defer to his superior knowledge, but does he not agree that the Retail Energy Code Company, Ofgem and all those involved in the market are clearly failing the most vulnerable in our society? I have vulnerable and disabled constituents who are turning off their energy just so they can survive, yet the disaster of the structure and the standing charges—which the hon. Gentleman mentioned—means they are no better off, but they are freezing cold.

Jim Shannon highlighted the struggles faced by disabled people due to high living costs, noting food and energy price hikes. He called for faster processing of disability benefit applications and more support for those with complex medical needs. Shannon also suggested providing grants to help cover the costs of running medical equipment and advocated for a long-term vision on financial assistance for disabled individuals beyond one-off payments. Some constituents cannot use public transport due to anxiety issues and the inability to afford taxis. Inquired about the specific measures for those who need mobility aids, lifts, pumps, and dietary support, asking if the funding will reach those who need it most. Asked who would quantify or decide what amount of electricity or energy is used by someone with a medical device and suggested input from charities to agree on the figure.

The hon. Gentleman is making a very thoughtful speech about a complex issue. Does he accept that having some money, while imperfect, has to be preferable to being left without that amount of money? Disabled households need an additional £975 a month to have the same standard of living as non-disabled households, with inflation increasing this cost to over £1,100. Households including disabled people are almost three times more likely to live in material deprivation and face higher energy costs. Liz Twist highlighted how families incur significant costs due to medical equipment needs and expensive dietary requirements. She also expressed disappointment at the Government's decision to drop a social tariff for water and discussed issues related to the warm home discount scheme, which removed eligibility from 300,000 disabled people. The hon. Member reminded the debate of their joint work on rare diseases and highlighted Muscular Dystrophy UK's report on how cost of living rises impact wellbeing. Inquired about the clarity of support available regarding energy costs, particularly for machinery.

Marion Fellows highlighted the significant financial challenges faced by disabled people and their carers due to rising costs, noting that Scope reported an additional monthly cost of £975 for a disabled household compared to non-disabled households. She called for permanent solutions rather than temporary fixes, such as reversing damaging policies like the cut to universal credit and increasing legacy benefits. Fellows also emphasized the importance of considering social tariffs for energy and spending less on military expenditures to fund better social benefits.

Discussed three types of extra costs faced by disabled individuals: health-related costs, IT aids electricity costs, and home heating expenses. Cited statistics from Kidney Care UK (£1,918 for dialysis) and Contact a Family (£1,596 for disabled children's energy needs). Questioned the effectiveness of personal independence payments (PIP), social tariffs, and the £650 payment in addressing the issue. Highlighted issues with current NHS schemes and proposed Australian models as potential solutions.

I thank my hon. Friend for mentioning my fantastic constituent Katy Styles and agree that campaigns such as We Care make a real difference by highlighting the impact of decisions on people's daily lives.

The cost of living crisis disproportionately impacts disabled people, with extra costs such as assistive equipment and therapies. Disabled households spend more on essential goods like heating and food. The disability price tag has risen to £975 per month due to high inflation in 2022 and 2023. Disabled people tend to have lower earnings, exacerbating their financial burden. Asked the Minister to ensure that any evaluations about financial support for disabled people are published.