More than three quarters of disabled legacy benefits claimants surveyed by Disability Benefits Consortium say that their financial situation is worse than before Covid-19 pandemic

Results of survey published ahead of next month's hearing of judicial review challenge to government's decision not to extend universal credit 'uplift' to employment and support allowance

More than three quarters of disabled legacy benefits claimants surveyed by the Disability Benefits Consortium (DBC) have said that their financial situation is worse than before Covid-19 pandemic.

Setting out the key findings of a new report, The Millions Missing Out, based on a recent survey of more than 1,800 disabled legacy benefits claimants, the DBC says that -

• more than three quarters (78 per cent) said their financial situation is ‘worse’ compared to at the start of the pandemic;
• half (52 per cent) are spending ‘significantly more’ on household bills and utilities than they were before the pandemic, with a third (37 per cent) spending ‘somewhat more’;
• individuals’ weekly income means they are unable or struggling to eat a balanced diet (67 per cent), attend medical appointments due to public transport, petrol and taxi costs (33 per cent), and pay bills, including their water, gas, electric, rent and mortgage (67 per cent); and
• just under half (46 per cent) are falling behind on rent or mortgage payments.

Highlighting that on 28 and 29 September 2021 the High Court is to hear a judicial review challenge to the government's decision not to extend the Covid-19-related universal credit 'uplift' to employment and support allowance, the DBC also reports that respondents to the survey felt that the government’s actions are ‘discriminatory’ (46 per cent), ‘cruel’ (21 per cent), and unfair (21 per cent), with one person saying that the government is sending a clear message that 'disabled people do not matter'.

Anastasia Berry, Policy Manager at the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society and Policy Co-Chair of the DBC, said today -

'The impact of the pandemic has been devastating for many disabled people, and it’s heartbreaking to read these latest findings. For the last 18 months we’ve called on the government time and time again to stop discriminating against disabled people, and yet here we are again. How much more evidence do they need to show that disabled people, including those with MS, must stop being ignored and given the financial support they desperately need?

... Disabled people are being punished for something that is beyond their control, and it shouldn’t take another survey, or the government being taken to court, to acknowledge this.'

For more information, see UK’s broken benefits system forcing disabled people to fall behind on payments and skip meals from the DBC website.