Support the call for a review of disabled people’s energy support

London Inclusion is sponsoring a call for a thorough reassessment of social security support for disabled people, to end the appalling levels of poverty in our community.

Inclusion London’s mission is to promote Deaf and Disabled people’s equality and inclusion by supporting Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisations (DDPOs) and campaigning for rights for Deaf and Disabled people across the UK. They are run and controlled by Deaf and Disabled people and passionately campaign for equality and inclusion.

In May, the former Chancellor announced a package of ‘cost of living payments’ to help people struggling the most with surging energy and food bills. Unfortunately, very little of this funding was targeted at disabled people. Often disabled people face higher energy bills than non-disabled people because of often need to run the heating more and to charge essential medical and mobility equipment.

This means the increases in energy costs hit disabled people harder than many others. Disabled People’s Organisations are currently seeing members with annual energy bills above £6,000, with increases already this year of over £1,000 and energy bills are predicted to increase again. 

You can support the call for a thorough reassessment of social security support for disabled people, to end the appalling levels of poverty in our community. You can support the call to include introducing the following policies:

• An emergency uprating of benefits, which should come into effect in Autumn. This should at least match inflation, bringing the 2022 increase to 10% or higher.
• Make social care free at the point of use. Until this is implemented, ensure that the ‘Minimum Income Guarantee’, which sets the amount of money disabled people must be left with aftercare charges, increases at the same rate as overall benefits.
• Review the sufficiency of benefits levels, including the ‘extra costs benefits’ (PIP, DLA, and AA) designed to cover the additional costs of living with disability, which currently provides far too little support.
• Reform the benefits system to make the process easier, faster, and more supportive rather than oppressive.
• Amend the new eligibility criteria for the Warm Home Discount so that they once again take into account disabled people’s extra energy costs.
• Ensure all family carers are in receipt of Carers Allowance and increase the allowance to ensure it is at least equivalent to minimum wage.

You can write to your MP by accessing the information and letter template from Inclusion London.