Disabled people ‘could face extra costs of £15k’ by 2029

As No 10 rethinks welfare cuts, Scope says expenses will soar

- HOLLY BANCROFT

Disabled people could face extra costs of almost £15,000 a year by the end of the decade, according to charity analysis published ahead of a vote on controversial welfare reforms.

Analysis from disability equality charity Scope estimated that average monthly costs — not taking into account welfare reforms - to cover the extra needs of disabled people will rise to £1,244, totalling almost £15,000 a year, by April 2029.

The current extra costs for disabled people are estimated to be £1,095 a month.

People with disabilities often have higher household costs, such as higher energy bills, and extra costs for specialist mobility equipment. Scope has warned that, despite a government U-turn on welfare cuts, disabled people will still be subjected to a “two-tier system” where “huge numbers” of people are still out of pocket.

The government’s welfare bill, which will be voted on tomorrow, included a major package of cuts to social security payments. Changes to the Personal Independence Payment (Pip) include a higher bar for eligibility, with claimants having to score four points in one category to be eligible.

Many Labour MPs wanted these changes scrapped, but the government has offered a compromise that they would only apply the new rules to new claimants, and conduct a review of the criteria.