The new Prime Minister must do more to help disabled people

Hope you’re having a good summer and taking care to stay cool!

It has certainly been quite a week in UK politics, hasn’t it? With all the talk of new leadership and the race to replace Boris Johnson, our new Prime Minister must remember their duty to support people in need.

As the cost-of-living crisis hits hard, disabled people are still struggling. The rate of inflation – the rate at which prices are increasing – is currently estimated at 9.1%. With food prices and energy bills set to increase further, disabled people’s extra costs will become an even bigger burden – whether that’s buying, repairing or charging disability equipment; paying for accessible transport; or maintaining a stable temperature in their home.

So when the new Prime Minister is appointed in September, they must already have solutions to address the cost-of-living crisis. And they need to be ready to implement those solutions immediately.

Back in May, the government committed to uprate benefits in April 2023 (the uprating will follow September’s Consumer Price Index or CPI - a measure of inflation). Quite frankly, by April 2023 it will be too late. People are struggling now, and the forecasts for the winter ahead are stark. We need an immediate uprating of benefits due to the worsening crisis. So far, we’ve had only short-term solutions to long-term problems.

Well before the April 2022 benefits rise of just 3.1%, it became clear this would not be enough: it would fall far below the rate of inflation and would be a real terms cut. Given the exceptional economic circumstances, the current government faced considerable pressure: Leonard Cheshire and many others recognised the need for quick action on benefits increases. We called for an immediate rise in benefits in line with inflation. Sadly, this did not happen.

When the Prime Minister is appointed, the government must recognise the urgency. They must raise benefits quickly. And they also need to reverse changes to the Warm Home Discount scheme, a crucial source of financial help for disabled people.

Disabled people also need to see clear commitments for properly funded social care. It would be unsurprising to hear any leadership candidate vying to become Prime Minister saying that any extra investment would cost too much. Actually, Leonard Cheshire research shows investing in sustainably funded social care would be a huge benefit to the economy. The Health and Care Act 2022 comes into force next year and needs amending, with greater support for working age disabled adults who need social care.

We also need clarity on how proposed social care reforms will work in practice: we need to ensure the vision of choice, control and independence can become a reality. The government must have a clear plan for disabled people to thrive rather than simply survive.

We need to see credible plans for reducing economic inequality in different parts of the UK, or ‘levelling up’. Amid all the pledges for tax cuts from each Conservative leadership candidate, so far we have heard very little mention of levelling up. Yet a commitment to help people in poorer areas of the country should not be summarily ditched. Instead, it should recognise systemic inequalities – such as those faced by disabled people - and not just inequalities based on where you live.

Despite talk of reducing the employment gap between disabled and non-disabled people, it remains stubbornly high. We need to see a move away from a punitive approach to welfare and a new approach to support disabled people into employment.

I also read with sadness a piece in the Mirror this week about the online abuse faced by disabled people, including Shelby Lynch. While Shelby’s reaction is positive and she should be applauded for highlighting this crucial issue, nobody should face ableist abuse – online or anywhere else.

As I’ve said before in these blogs, I know many disabled people are particularly affected by extreme temperatures. Responding to my previous call for advice, Steph shared her strategies for dealing with the heat: “Bed sheets in the freezer a couple of hours before putting them on the bed; a frozen hot water bottle full of cold water; a bowl of ice cubes in front of a fan.” Keep sending in your top tips for keeping cool!

All the best,

Ruth