Disabled people’s led organisations write to the Prime Minister highlighting the devastating impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the lives of disabled people

Letter calls on the government to put disabled people at the heart of recovery planning and to fully engage disabled people in the shaping of the government’s Disability Strategy

Disabled people’s led organisations from across England have written to the Prime Minister to highlight the devastating impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis on the lives of disabled people.

With disabled people having experienced challenges in accessing health and social care, problems in buying food, digital exclusion and deterioration of mental health during the pandemeic, and with two-thirds of all deaths so far having been disabled people, the letter from Disability Rights UK Voices - a group of disabled people’s led organisations from across England under the umbrella of Disability Rights UK - calls on the government to put disabled people at the heart of recovery planning and to fully engage disabled people in the shaping of the government’s Disability Strategy.

Kamran Mallick, CEO of Disability Rights UK said today -

'Throughout the crisis, Disability Rights UK and other disabled people led organisations have been drawing the serious issues facing disabled people to the attention of government. In this letter to the Prime Minister, the group sets out the devastating impact of the crisis on disabled people and call for disabled people to be at the heart of recovery planning.'

For more information, see Disabled people’s led organisations challenge government record.

NB - in answer to a parliamentary written question, DWP Minister Justin Tomlinson said yesterday that -

'Due to Covid 19 impacts, a slower timetable for publication of the National Strategy for Disabled People is inevitable. This is to ensure that we are able to meaningfully engage with stakeholders and strengthen our evidence base to deliver the ambitious strategy that the Prime Minister has called for. We are aiming to publish in Spring 2021.'

Mr Tomlinson's written answer is available from Hansard.