As summer comes to an end and Disabled people across the country fear the grim reality of winter during a cost of living crisis, we welcome the new Prime Minister’s announcement this week of an energy price guarantee from the 1st October for two years.
Kamran Mallick – CEO of Disability Rights UK
However, the situation for too many Disabled people in this country remains dyer, particularly with unacceptable delays to benefits, growing inflation, and extortionate food and energy costs. Although this measure is welcomed, we urge the new Prime Minister to increase all benefits by inflation this autumn – as nobody should have to choose between heating and eating. You can find out more about DR UK’s campaigning on the cost of living crisis on our website.
We also applaud the Prime Minister’s decision to shelve the British Bill of Rights – or, as campaigners have named it, ‘The Rights Removal Bill’. Our full statement on this can be found on our website.
The passing of the Rights Removal Bill would have seen the withdrawal of the Human Rights Act. Our allies at Liberty warned that it would have been “the biggest blow to human rights in the UK in a generation.”
Although we are relieved to hear the news that the bill has been shelved, it’s vital that none of us forget the importance of protecting the Human Rights Act – and we must be ready to challenge any potential future attacks on our rights.
We hope that the new Prime Minister and cabinet will scrap any future plans to withdraw the Human Rights Act, and instead prioritise the many urgent issues currently facing Disabled people in this country.