Almost half of disabled people in East Riding of Yorkshire do not claim the benefits they could be entitled to.
According to census estimates, around 11.8 million people in Great Britain are disabled. But as of February 2024, only 6.9 million people were claiming extra-cost disability benefits, meaning about 4.9 million are likely not claiming benefits.
While many may be financially stable, with no need to rely on additional support from the state, many more could be struggling to get by, cut off, or unaware of benefits they could be entitled to, and perhaps relying on family members to get by.
The latest census figures show that in East Riding of Yorkshire there are 63,601 disabled people, 18.6% of the population or around one in five people. However, only 34,836 people claim a disability benefit, just 10.1% of the population. Meaning there are around 30,000 people in the county that are not claiming the benefits they may be entitled to.
Jon Sparkes OBE, Chief Executive of learning disability charity Mencap said:
“People with a learning disability tell us that the social security system is inaccessible, overly complex, and stressful to navigate. Many of the 1.5 million people in the UK with a learning disability struggle with complicated online application systems and confusing language. Unfortunately, there are still attitudes towards people who rely on benefits which are unhelpful and can deter people who really need them from applying.
“As a result, many could be missing out financially and experiencing hardship. The key is having access to independent advice such as Mencap’s helpline, where experts can help them, or those caring for them, navigate the process.”
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