Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what specific measures for disabled people are included in the Spring Statement 2022.

The government is committed to enabling disabled people and those with long-term health conditions to live fulfilling and independent lives. Spring Statement announced a substantial package of measures worth over £22 billion in 2022-23 to help households with the cost of living, which will benefit disabled people both in and out of work. This includes an additional £500m for the Household Support Fund to help households with the cost of essentials such as food, clothing, and utilities. In England, the fund will continue to be distributed to Local Authorities, who are best placed to direct help to those who need it most, including those with disabilities.

In addition, the Spring Statement allocated £25.3 million to Local Authorities across England for the installation of over 500 life-enhancing Changing Places public toilets, providing targeted support for people with severe disabilities.

The Spring Statement measures should be seen alongside the significant multi-year support for disabled people that was already announced in the 2021 Autumn Budget and Spending Review, which included over £1.1 billion of investment to help those with disabilities secure and sustain employment, and £2.6 billion for new school places for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in England.

The government recognises that a disability or long-term health condition can have a significant impact on the cost of living at the best of times. We continue to invest heavily in the welfare system to support disabled people both in and out of work, and in 2022-23 we are currently forecast to spend over £64 billion on benefits to support disabled people and people with health conditions in Great Britain. This is around 2.5% of UK GDP.