Cost of living People with disabilities 'face 12% rise'

The extra cost of being disabled is on course to rise by almost 12% to an annual cost of £14,688 in five years, according to a new estimate published on the eve of a vote to restrict welfare payments for new claimants.

- Matthew Weaver

A threatened rebellion by more than 120 Labour MPs forced the government into a last-minute climb-down on its welfare bill, by exempting claimants to planned cuts in personal independence payments (Pip), England's main disability payment.

But about 50 of those rebels are still known to be concerned that this concession could create a two-tier system where existing and new claimants are treated differently.

The new figures, produced by the disability equality charity Scope, will fuel fears of a growing disparity between these two sets of claimants as the cost of living rises. Its annual disability price tag report estimates that the extra cost facing disabled people stands at £1,095 a month, up from last year's price tag of £1,010.