We need to support the millions of disabled people across the country, especially during the ongoing coronavirus crisis. 

As Scope highlighted in its recent briefing, the Coronavirus crisis has had a disproportionately damaging impact on disabled people on multiple fronts: financially, socially, and on their health.  The starkest statistic is that almost 3 in 5 people who have died with COVID-19 are disabled. 

These findings echo those found by Scope last year in its report: ‘Disability Report: Disabled People and the Coronavirus Crisis’.  I raised this report with the Government, and the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, Justin Tomlinson, told me that the Government would “consider its recommendations”. 

However, since then, the Government has not come forward with a support package for disabled people and, as Scope has found, this is leading disabled people to justifiably believe that they have been forgotten by the Government. 

I have now submitted a written question to the Cabinet Office in order to raise this issue with the Government: 

“To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the recent briefing by Scope, what assessment he has made of the need for a specific support package for disabled people” 

I can assure you that I will continue to follow developments in this area closely and back support for those harmed by the coronavirus crisis.