Disabled people forced to use doorstep lenders

Disabled people are having to make increasing use of doorstep loans, according to a survey carried out for the disability charity Scope. The survey found that one in ten disabled people have resorted to the loans, compared with just 3 per cent of the general population. 

Key findings

  • Nearly one in six disabled people (16 per cent) say they cannot keep up with the rising costs of living.
  • 15 per cent of disabled people – more than double the rate for the public in general (7 per cent) – use loans to make ends meet.
  • 49 per cent of disabled people use credit cards or loans to pay for everyday items including clothing and food.
  • 19 per cent report having been unable to make the minimum payment on their credit card in the previous year.

Richard Hawkes, Scope chief executive, commented: 'Disabled people face an utterly uneven financial playing field. If you’re disabled, preparing a cooked meal or going to work comes with big extra costs. At the same, you’re more likely to be on a lower income or out of work... If we want disabled people to live independently and pay the bills we cannot take billions of pounds of support away, particularly while disabled people are financially vulnerable, and less able to build up their own financial safety net. The government... must start focusing on policies that build disabled people’s financial resilience, so that they do not have to turn to risky credit and face slipping into debt'.

Source
: Ipsos MORI, Disabled People and Financial Wellbeing, Scope
LinksReport | Scope press release

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