Disability equality charity Scope has commented after new research by the Resolution Foundation found that the 44 per cent disability income gap makes people with disabilities more likely to struggle to heat their homes and cut back on food this winter.

James Taylor, Director of Strategy at disability equality charity Scope said:

“This research paints a bleak picture and reinforces what Scope has been hearing from disabled people.

“Energy bills, food bills and care costs are all spiralling and causing havoc for disabled people, who were already more likely to be out of work and live in poverty. It is much harder to find and progress in work if you are disabled. When you are already struggling financially, there is simply nothing left to cut back.

“We’ve known for years that life costs more if you’re disabled. Higher electricity bills because of charging wheelchairs and ventilators. Higher heating bills because your condition means you struggle to regulate your body temperature.

“Disabled people are running out of choices. We can’t turn off our nebulisers, dialysis machines or electric wheelchair chargers. Disabled people should not be facing these impossible decisions and risking their lives so that they can pay their bills.

“Government must act now to stop the hardest hit from falling further into financial difficulty this winter. They must bring forward the additional cost of living payments to this winter rather than summer and urgently implement a social energy tariff for disabled customers. We also need longer term solutions to close the disability employment gap and ensure the benefits system provides people with a decent standard of living.”
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