An inquiry led by Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and supported by The Children’s Society, Citizens Advice and Disability Rights UK has found that up to half a million disabled people and their families will be worse off under Universal Credit.
Disabled people and their families warned that cuts to the child disability additions and to the Severe Disability Premium are likely to result in them struggling to pay for basic essentials such as food and heating.
The inquiry report, Holes in the Safety Net: The impact of Universal Credit on disabled people and their families, reveals that:
- 100,000 disabled children stand to lose up to £28 a week.
- 116,000 disabled people who work will be at risk of losing up to £40 per week from help towards additional costs of being disabled.
- One in ten families with disabled children affected by the changes feared losing their homes.
- 83% of disabled adults living alone or with a young carer said they would cut back on food and 80% said they would cut back on the amount they spend on heating.