VODG submits representation to HM Treasury’s Comprehensive Spending Review 2020
VODG has today urged the government to ensure the third phase of its national COVID-19 economic recovery plan is fully inclusive in a representation to the Chancellor’s Comprehensive Spending Review.
Our submission centred around a call for the Treasury to pledge three commitments:
- Invest in disabled people to live more independently by funding policies that enables disabled people’s needs throughout transitions in their life to be fully met – from childhood, throughout adulthood and into older age.
- Invest in disabled people’s services, and their communities, and the infrastructure supporting local services.
- Tackle unmet need and inequalities and level up provision of services for disabled people.
And to fulfil these commitments, we called on the government to:
- Fund a fully inclusive industrial approach and strategy as the driver for inclusive economic reform.
- Properly fund public services, including social care, employment support, and invest in the voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) sector to enable local community and services to all play their role.
- Lift disability services out of the low pay sector and ensure that services for disabled people are funded well above the national minimum wage.
- Fund the creation of a national disability strategy as matter of urgency.
In addition, while plans for a national disability strategy are currently under review due to the pandemic, we argued for this work to be progressed as a matter of urgency.
Dr Rhidian Hughes, chief executive of VODG, said:
“COVID-19 has exacerbated the challenges already faced by the UK’s 14.1 million disabled people and the social care sector that supports them. The Comprehensive Spending Review is a crucial opportunity for government to finally put social care on a strong and sustainable footing – instead of dishing out quick-fix solutions.
“An equitable society fully meets people’s needs and enables disabled people to have full choice and control over their lives. Including everyone in society can reduce inequality, injustice and save public money. The case is simple; in a fair, modern society, everyone deserves an opportunity to play a role in rebuilding the economy.”
The Comprehensive Spending Review is due to conclude later this year. VODG will monitor developments and update members accordingly.