Disabled people and coronavirus: We won't be forgotten

We’re putting a spotlight on the serious issues disabled people are facing right now. 

Disabled people have been hardest hit:

• 3 in 5 people who died from coronavirus were disabled, according to updated figures from the Office of National Statistics
• 35% of disabled people say their finances have become worse since the start of the pandemic
• disabled people have been waiting too long for a welfare system that gives financial security without cruel, unhelpful sanctions and the need to appeal
• 25% disabled people feel forgotten by the government

Our achievements and successes

We influenced to make sure:

• face covering exemptions were more clearly communicated by Government and businesses, and
• these exemptions were understood by disabled people and the public

The department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) extended Warm Homes Discount by another year. This helped reduce the additional cost faced by disabled people who spent more time at home due to lockdown restrictions.

The campaign so far

Here is how we worked with campaigners. Highlighting to the Government how disabled people were being negatively affected by the pandemic.

Response to our open letter

30,000 people signed our open letter to the Prime Minister, calling on the government to include disabled people in their coronavirus response and recovery plans.

Response to call for emergency support

15,000 campaigners asked their MPs to call for an emergency package of support for disabled people. You can still read our Emergency Policy Briefing. 

Raising awareness with local MPs

We contacted over 570 MPs with our Disability Report, highlighting the effect of coronavirus and lockdown on disabled people. 

The disability report

The disability account and employment gap

Over 600 disabled people submitted evidence to the government’s Disability Employment Gap consultation and The Disability Account, detailing how disabled people had been hit financially during the coronavirus pandemic.

30 MPs from across the political spectrum attended our virtual reception. Which highlighted the need to address the worsening disability employment gap after the crisis.

We created a disability employment gap map to highlight to MPs our urgent calls to improve disability employment.