Time to act: Understanding the impact of Covid-19 on disabled people in the north of England
Article
Across the north of England, the pandemic has also had a disproportionate impact; the total number of recorded cases per 100,000 is 20 per cent higher in the North than it is in England as a whole, and parts of the North have seen more prolonged restrictions than anywhere else in the country.
An estimated 21 per cent of the working-age population in the north of England were disabled in 2018, compared to 19 per cent across England as a whole.
Even before the pandemic, disabled people in regions like the North were at a disadvantage as a consequence of the wider regional inequalities that characterise the UK’s economy. These inequalities in health, income and employment have been exacerbated by austerity, and this briefing paper shows that they have been deepened too by the pandemic. Not only has it amplified existing inequalities; it has also brought to light new challenges on access to services and opportunities.
Our conclusions emphasise that now is the time for policymakers to act and ensure that disabled people have equal access to opportunity across the North and the rest of the UK.
For a word version of the report for screen readers, click here. For a word version of the easy read report for screen readers, click here.
Related items
It's the cost of living, stupid: Why progressives lose and win
UK households are impatient for change. Trust in our political system is low and that’s reflected in scepticism across the board that government can make things better.Getting the child poverty strategy we need: A co-produced agenda for change
The UK government has a time-limited opportunity to make a decisive difference to child poverty in its upcoming strategy.Not yet settled? Assessing the government’s new policy on indefinite leave to remain
This month’s white paper represented the most significant shake-up in immigration policy since Brexit.