Cost of Living: Disability

(asked on 14th April 2022) - View Source

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to take further steps to support disabled people with (a) energy price increases and (b) the increased rate of inflation.


Answered by
Helen Whately Portrait
Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
This question was answered on 25th April 2022

Living with a disability can impact significantly on the cost of living. This is why the government invests heavily in supporting disabled people through the welfare system.

The government is committed to help protect customers from price spikes, especially vulnerable customers and is very aware of the difficulties that consumers are experiencing as a result of the rise in energy prices. The government is providing significant financial support – up to £350 – to the majority of households, which will cover more than half of the April rise in energy bills for the average household. This support is worth £9.1bn in 2022-23.

The government is providing further support for vulnerable households, elderly, and low-income people through the Warm Home Discount - which is being expanded by a third to 3m people and increased to £150 – in addition to the continuation of Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments.

The government is also providing an additional £500m for the Household Support Fund from April, on top of the £500m we have already provided since October 2021, bringing total funding to £1 billion. In England, Local Authorities are best placed to direct this help to those in their areas who need it most and will receive £421m, whilst the devolved administrations will receive £79m through the Barnett formula.

The government continues to support vulnerable groups through NHS

services. The additional funding announced at the Spending Review, made possible by the new Health and Social Care Levy, means that the NHS resource budget will increase to over £160 billion in 2024-25. These investments will allow the NHS to continue providing the services people need.

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