Two-thirds of disabled workers affected by coronavirus

Two thirds of people with disabilities have had their work affected by the coronavirus, according to a new survey.

The survey by the poverty charity Turn2us found that 63% of disabled male workers and 67% of disabled female workers said their employment had been affected by the pandemic.

This is compared to 43% and 50% of non-disabled workers, respectively.

As a result, the charity said working aged disabled people are much more likely to need to claim Universal Credit to cover the cost of living – one in five compared to one in ten.

Additionally, they are almost three times as likely to believe that they have, or have had coronavirus, compared to non-disabled respondents.

Responding to the findings, a coalition – that includes Turn2us, Z2K and the Disability Benefits Consortium – have come together to call on the government to introduce a number of policies to improve the lives of people with disabilities.

They are calling on ministers to:

• Co-produce future policies that affect people with disabilities so they are at the heart of the solution
• Extend the recent increases of Universal Credit to other benefits, including ESA; maintain this increase and backdate it
• Remove the Benefit Cap
• Raise LHA to 50% of market rents
• Provide funds to close the digital divide
• End conditionality and sanctions

‘People with disabilities have been disproportionately affected financially by the coronavirus pandemic,’ said Turn2Us’s head of communications, Sara Willcocks.

‘This means that millions are now at greater risk of getting into debt, going hungry and facing homelessness. While we may all be in the same storm, we are definitely not all in the same boat.

‘The government cannot use a one size-fits all approach to the next stages of recovery. The DWP must work with people who have lived experience of disabilities to develop and implement effective solutions to the economic, social and political barriers that stop many people with disabilities from thriving; especially in the wake of the pandemic.’

Photo Credit – Stevepb (Pixabay)