Member

According to estimates by Scope and other disability charities, disabled households face additional costs of hundreds of pounds per month, and this comes against a backdrop of fixed incomes and, often, limited earning power. Often, these costs cannot be recovered and have to be borne by the person without recourse to the state for help. For example, a person who suffers from epilepsy may have to replace breakable items considerably more often than a person without the condition. They may break their phone or glasses, for example, during a seizure. A person with autism, which sometimes manifests with sensory sensitivities, may need to buy special clothing without tags or seams, or specific or special foods if they are intolerant to textures or tastes. Someone who is blind or partially sighted may need specialist software, such as a screen reader or a tactile keyboard, or a guide dog, all of which come, as the Committee will guess, with ongoing costs.