Thank you for taking the time to contact me regarding Scope’s campaign about the cost-of-living pressures on disabled people.
Both the UK Government and Welsh Conservatives are committed to ensuring the best possible quality of life for disabled people. Welsh Conservatives recognise the additional barriers faced by disabled people and support the actions that the UK Government has taken to protect the most vulnerable with the cost-of-living.
As you’ll be aware, the UK Government has taken a number of measures to protect the most vulnerable in society by increasing benefits by 10.1% for 2023/24, resulting in more than ten million households in receipt of working-age and disability benefits seeing an increase in their benefits. The average uplift for households receiving universal credit will be around £600.
Along with this, disabled people will receive a second disability cost-of-living payment of £150 in recognition of the extra challenges they face. There will also be additional one-off payments of £900 for the eight million households on means-tested benefits and a second £300 pensioner cost-of-living payment. The UK Government also has no plans to means-test the Disability Living Allowance and the Personal Independent Payment.
Furthermore, the UK Government took swift action regarding energy bills, by maintaining The Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) at £2,500 between April and June 2023 saving the average household £160 during this period.
I will also raise this campaign with the Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Social Justice and the Shadow Counsel General Mark Isherwood MS, who has been highlighting to the UK Government the additional costs that disabled people face, especially the additional energy costs that come from the electricity needed to run the equipment that many disabled people rely on.
Once again, thank you for your email, and I hope my response answers your queries regarding the challenges facing disabled people, and how they are being supported.