The Disability Poverty Campaign Group (DPCG), is a coalition of England-wide Disabled People's Organisations and allies. The group came together as a response to the growing upheaval in the country around food and energy price rises, noticing how Disabled people were impacted more than any other community.
At this week's meeting, it has agreed its course of action for the coming months.
The DPCG has been responding to the cost-of-living-crisis both as a coalition and through its supporter groups. Actions have included the MP letter which is available on the Action Network where individuals can edit a template to send to their local MP asking them to help tackle the devastating levels of poverty among Disabled people in the UK. Further actions have included a letter to the former Chancellor, media appearances and an August meeting with Ofgem to begin on-going engagement.
The new Prime Minister Liz Truss will be sent a letter by the group urging her to focus on the current cost of living crisis and to give attention to the intensifying levels of poverty faced by Disabled people. The letter, signed by DPCG members and the Disability Benefits Consortium, asks for immediate actions such as a benefit uprating by 1st October to be in line with Bank of England predictions of inflation, and revised eligibility criteria for the warm home discount as 300,000 Disabled people were recently removed from the entitlement.
At the same time as emphasizing the need for urgent intervention, the DPCG are asking to meet with the Prime Minister and for her to engage with Disabled people's led organisations.
Dan White, one of the leads at DPCG and DR UK Policy and Campaigns Officer said: "The situation for families and individuals is worsening and there is a window of opportunity here to engage with a new PM thrust right into the heart of what is a national crisis. Poverty is rising and inflation and fuel prices show no signs of slowing down, this is the biggest issue facing Disabled families and individuals and we must be there speaking out on behalf of Disabled people. The DPCG intends to continue its work highlighting and challenging, and with new relationships and social media, we can be at the forefront of voicing the experiences of Disabled people."