COVID-19: Disabled people 'cut off from vital support' during pandemic, warns charity (Scope)

leeCal

just relaying a news item on sky today based on research by our Scope!

leeCal

https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-disabled-people-cut-off-from-vital-support-during-pandemic-warns-charity-12209005

woodbine

It's a disgrace, more effort should have been and should be made by central and local govt. to protect services to disabled and disadvantaged people. Surely if they can give business rate relief to all retailers LARGE and small, and they can furlough millions of people in non existing jobs, it's not beyond them.

Cher_Scope

Thank you for sharing this @leeCal

Unfortunately it makes for very sobering reading.  Scope have been tirelessly campaigning for disabled people to have more priority and attention throughout the pandemic.  While most recently, we have called for all disabled people to have an emergency support package to help them with the additional costs faced.  To add your support, visit this campaign page and enter your details.  

lisathomas50

@Cher_Scope I am a scope campaigner  I shared it to twitter and on my advocacy pages I also got some members of my village involved 

Garza

i just think that this brings into clear focus that the wider community and certainly government are not interested in the welfare of disabled people and we are a really low priority, whilst I commend everyone at Scope and other charities for their lobbying efforts I cant see any assistance being forthcoming at this late stage in the pandemic, furthermore, when austerity kicks in to pay for all of this I wouldn't be at all suprise to see disability benefits and supports services targeted for cutbacks and/or freezing

Ross_Scope

Garza said:

i just think that this brings into clear focus that the wider community and certainly government are not interested in the welfare of disabled people and we are a really low priority, whilst I commend everyone at Scope and other charities for their lobbying efforts I cant see any assistance being forthcoming at this late stage in the pandemic, furthermore, when austerity kicks in to pay for all of this I wouldn't be at all suprise to see disability benefits and supports services targeted for cutbacks and/or freezing

It certainly does come across a lot of the time as though disabled peopple are way down the list of priorities. And it shouldn't be that way at all. 

I'm sure, in fact I'm certain, that Scope will keep campaigning and trying to break down the barriers that exist, of course in collaboration with our marvellous supporters.

woodbine

I have to disagree @Garza I doubt that any amount of austerity will even scratch the surface of the debt due to covid, plus you have those tory mp's sitting on labour's red wall, that won't stand for it this time round. But as ever time will tell, I'm waiting for the budget on 3rd March to see what comes next. That and negative interest rates in the autumn already flagged up by the B of E

Garza

@woodbine as you say we will have to wait and see, I dont really get involved in politics so can't really comment on the tory/labour situation but i imagine whoever was in charge would have to start paying  some of the debt back sooner or later 

lisathomas50

No disrespect to England  but they are more interested in makeing money and not spending it  their main importance is the economy  but you need people to  do that if they aren't fit for work or  corona virus tskeing lives no support for other things because the government don't put support in then there will be no economy  only my opinion 😉