Sense calls for Government to act as data shows nearly six out of every 10 Covid deaths are disabled people

11 February 2021 – Sense responds to data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) which shows that nearly six out of every 10 people who died with coronavirus in England last year were disabled.

Richard Kramer, chief executive of national disability charity Sense, said:

“Disabled people are three times more likely to die from Covid-19 than non-disabled people. This is even greater for particular groups, such as those with a learning disability. And yet, throughout this pandemic, disabled people and their needs haven’t been prioritised.

“From the lack of infrastructure to allow those forced to shield to access food and medicine during the first lockdown, to the cuts in social care support affecting those living independently and families caring for them at home, disabled people have largely been forgotten, left without sufficient support, information and communication.

“It is not enough that there will be investigation into the disproportionate impact of the virus upon disabled people’s lives, and how society has managed this. The Government must act now, planning its way out of lockdown with disabled people and their family’s needs prioritised, to show that it’s learnt from the mistakes of the past year.”