Fight for Sight / Vision Foundation has signed a joint letter from the disability sector calling for urgent support with the cost of living for disabled people.

In a letter signed by 75 charities, including from within the sight loss sector, the letter calls for urgent action in the Autumn Statement to support disabled households through the ongoing cost of living crisis, recognising that disabled people have been disproportionately affected by the cost of living.

Specifically, the letter calls for five specific actions:

1. All benefits to be uprated at least in line with inflation in the Autumn Statement, as is the norm.
2. A UK Government review of how benefits are set and increased, so people can always afford the essentials, and manage the extra costs that come with disability.
3. Additional Winter financial support targeted at disabled households with higher energy costs.
4. Consultation on an energy social tariff under the UK Government's commitment to develop a new approach to consumer protection in energy markets.
5. All support to be promoted and communicated in accessible formats, including in BSL and easy read, and compatible with screen reading and magnification software, and to be available at the same time as mainstream formats.

The need for additional support

Scope research found that on average disabled households face extra costs of £975 per month, including the cost of specialist equipment and higher energy use. Half of blind and partially sighted people are using their disability benefits to pay for everyday living costs, rather than the additional costs associated with their sight loss.

A previous report, Time to Focus, published by Fight for Sight found that sight loss has a significant financial impact on people living with eye conditions.

Specifically, the report found: “The biggest financial impact is on people of working age, with over a third saying they are struggling financially as a household because of continuing barriers to employment, decreased income and increased outgoings.”

According to Time to Focus, a quarter of people (25 per cent) feel they are struggling financially as a household. And an even greater proportion (37 per cent) of working-age people are under financial stress. Almost two in five (37 per cent) of those of working age with severe sight loss are not working due to their eye conditions.

Research from Sense found 68 per cent of disabled people are worried they’ll have to skip meals this winter, and 58 per cent fear they’ll be forced to take out loans.

• For more information, see the government’s list of disability benefits 
• Information is also available from Disability Rights UK
• Turn2Us has a helpline, which is available Monday to Friday