This petition was submitted during the 2019-2024 parliament

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Petition Provide an energy grant to people with a disability or serious medical condition

Millions of UK citizens have a disability or serious medical condition that means they use more energy. Many people need to use a ventilator 24/7. People use electric pumps to feed through a tubes. People need to charge their mobility equipment, such as electric wheelchairs, stair lifts, bath seats.

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The Government needs to provide a grant, so that people with a disability or serious medical condition can afford to run the equipment, or heating, they need to stay alive. It is not right that people living with conditions that require energy, should be punished for it, and sometimes face unmanageable debts with energy companies. What a horrendous situation to face. If some people don't run their ventilator, CPAP machine or feeding pump they will die. Our Government must help people afford to stay alive.

This petition is closed This petition ran for 6 months

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Parliament debated this topic

This topic was debated on 22 May 2023

Government responded

This response was given on 14 June 2022

The Government will provide approximately six million people across the UK, who receive certain disability benefits, with a one-off payment of £150 in September 2022.

The Government is aware of the impact that high global wholesale energy prices are having on all consumers. Although Government does not determine the price of gas or electricity, these are set by global market conditions, the price cap ensures that the price of tariffs is fair and that customers do not experience a loyalty penalty.

The Government understands, however, that some households with a disability or medical condition have higher than average energy costs. NHS England provides electricity refunds for users of certain medical equipment in the home, such as oxygen concentrators. If a patient is prescribed an oxygen concentrator as part of their home oxygen therapy, the provider will reimburse the patient for any electricity the machine uses at the standard rate for the electricity provider in that region.

While Clinical Commissioning Groups are best placed to support their local populace, the Government has put in place additional support for those on certain disability benefits. As a result, around six million people across the UK who receive the following disability benefits will receive a one-off payment of £150 in September:

• Disability Living Allowance
• Personal Independence Payment
• Attendance Allowance
• Scottish Disability Benefits
• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• Constant Attendance Allowance
• War Pension Mobility Supplement

This forms part of the £15 billion package of targeted government support, announced on 26 May 2022, to help with the rising cost of living. This brings the total cost of living support measures announced to £37 billion this year.

Households in Great Britain will get a £400 grant for their energy bills in September. This does not need to be repaid.

In addition, there has been a £150 non-repayable reduction in Council Tax bills for all households in Bands A-D in England and £144 million of discretionary funding for Local Authorities to support households who need support but are not eligible for the Council Tax reduction.

More than 8 million households on means tested benefits will receive a payment of £650 this year, made in two instalments.

Pensioner households will receive an extra £300 to help them cover the rising cost of energy this winter. This additional one-off payment will go to the over 8 million pensioner households across the UK who receive the Winter Fuel Payment and will be paid on top of any other one-off support a pensioner household is entitled to.

The Government is providing an extra £500 million of local support, via the Household Support Fund, which will be extended from this October to March 2023. The Household Support Fund helps those in most need with payments towards the rising cost of food, energy, and water bills. This brings the total amount provided through the Household Support Fund to £1.5 billion since October 2021. The Barnett formula provides a share of this funding to the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland so they can decide how to provide support.

Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy

This is a revised response. The Petitions Committee requested a response which more directly addressed the request of the petition. You can find the original response towards the bottom of the petition page (https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/610300)

MPs investigate the impact of rising energy prices on consumers

MPs on the House of Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee have launched an inquiry into energy pricing and the future of the energy market. The inquiry is looking at how policy and regulation have contributed to rising energy prices. The inquiry is also examining the effect of price rises on consumers, and the operation of the energy price cap.

Find out more about the Committee's inquiry: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/1698/energy-pricing-and-the-future-of-the-energy-market/news/159559/energy-pricing-and-the-future-of-the-energy-market-inquiry-launched/

The Committee is considering the following issues:

  • Regulation of the energy market

  • The effectiveness of Ofgem as a regulator

  • The effectiveness of the 'energy price cap'

  • The costs to consumers when energy suppliers fail

Why has the Committee launched this inquiry?

The Committee’s inquiry on the retail energy market follows unprecedented increases in wholesale energy prices since the summer and with a number of firms going out of business, including Bulb, Britain’s seventh-biggest supplier with 1.6 million households as customers.

Keep up to date on the Committee's inquiry

Updates on the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee's inquiry into energy pricing and the future of the energy market marine mammals, including upcoming evidence sessions, will be published here: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/1698/energy-pricing-and-the-future-of-the-energy-market/

You can also follow the committee on Twitter for updates on its work: https://twitter.com/CommonsBEIS

What is the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee?

The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee is a cross-party group of MPs that look into the work of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and their associated public bodies.

Find out more about the committee on its website: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/365/business-energy-and-industrial-strategy-committee/

The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee is a select committee. Find out how select committees work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_2RDuDs44c

Get involved in the work of the UK Parliament

Sign up to the Your UK Parliament newsletter for the latest information on how to get involved and make a difference: https://parliament.us16.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=3ad7e4c57a864f07e4db008c4&id=26d0645ea9

Original Government response

Certain services do include provision for patients to receive energy cost rebates, but these are unique to specific conditions. Clinical Commissioning Groups are best placed to support their populace.

The Government understands that some households with a disability or medical condition have higher than average energy costs. NHS England provides electricity refunds for users of certain medical equipment in the home, such as oxygen concentrators. If a patient is prescribed an oxygen concentrator as part of their home oxygen therapy, the provider will reimburse the patient for any electricity the machine uses at the standard rate for the electricity provider in that region. Clinical Commissioning Groups are best placed to support their local populace.

The Government is aware of the impact that high global wholesale energy prices are having on all consumers. Although Government does not determine the price of gas or electricity, these are set by global market conditions, the price cap ensures that the price of tariffs is fair and that customers do not experience a loyalty penalty.

Government has also put in place additional support worth £9.1bn on top of existing measures to support vulnerable households.

• Households in Great Britain will receive a £200 cash rebate on their energy costs this October. This will be delivered via energy suppliers, who must pass on the entire £200 saving to households, and will be clearly identifiable as a line item on bills.

• In addition, there has been a £150 non-repayable reduction in Council Tax bills for all households in Bands A-D in England and £144 million of discretionary funding for Local Authorities to support households who need support but are not eligible for the Council Tax reduction.

• Vulnerable consumers will also have protection through the extension of the Warm Home Discount Scheme, which provides over 2 million households with a £140 rebate off their energy bills (usually the electricity bill) each winter. The Warm Home Discount reforms will better target automatic rebates to fuel poor households on the lowest incomes.

As set out in the British Energy Security Strategy, the Government will rebalance the costs placed on energy bills away from electricity to accelerate consumers and industry's shift away from volatile global commodity markets over the decade. Proposals on how to do so will be published in 2022.

Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy

This response was given on 9 May 2022. The Petitions Committee then requested a revised response, that more directly addressed the request of the petition.

MPs investigate energy pricing and the energy market

The MPs on the House of Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee have been investigating energy pricing and the energy market, including Government support to help people with their energy bills.

Report on energy pricing and the energy market

In July the Committee published a report on energy pricing and the energy market. In their report, MPs called on the Government to help the most exposed households by updating its energy bills support. They also called on the Government to consider a social tariff for the most vulnerable customers.

Evidence session on the cost of living crisis

Last month the Committee questioned business representatives, unions and consumer groups about climbing energy bills, inflation, interest rates, food and material costs, the impact these trends are having, and how they expect the crisis to develop.

Select Committee podcast

The Chair of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee, Darren Jones MP, is hosting the current series of the Committee Corridor podcast. This is a fortnightly podcast that brings together Members of Parliament from the different select committees in the House of Commons to interview experts and discuss the most pressing political, social and economic matters facing the UK today.

The current series is focusing on the cost of living, and in the first episode Darren spoke to the Chief Executive of the Resolution Foundation, and the MPs who Chair the Women and Equalities and Work and Pensions Committee.

What is the Home Affairs Committee?

The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee is a cross-party group of backbench MPs that looks into the work of the Home Office and its associated public bodies.

The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee is a select committee. Find out how select committees work.

Get involved in the work of the UK Parliament

Sign up to the Your UK Parliament newsletter for the latest information on how to get involved and make a difference.

Share your experiences for a debate: “UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities”

On Thursday 24 November, Marsha de Cordova MP will lead a debate in Parliament on the UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

To inform the debate, she wants to hear about your experiences and ideas relating to the topic. She may quote your contribution directly in the House of Commons Chamber.

Find out more and share your thoughts with her by midday on Wednesday 23 November: UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Videos of the debate, the transcript of what was said in it, and other relevant material will be accessible shortly after the debate on this webpage.

What are backbench business debates?

Backbench business debates give backbenchers (MPs who aren’t ministers or shadow ministers) an opportunity to secure a debate on a topic of their choice, either in the main House of Commons Chamber or Westminster Hall, the second chamber of the House of Commons.

MPs can make a request for a debate to the Backbench Business Committee, which hears requests and decides which debates to schedule.

Backbench debates can either be general debates (which do not end in a vote) or be on a substantive motion (which calls for an action and can end in a vote). This debate will be a general debate.

Get involved in the work of the UK Parliament

You can also sign up to the UK Parliament newsletter for the latest information on how to get involved and make a difference.

Cost of living for disabled people and carers to be looked at by MPs

Next week the House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee will hear from disabled people and carers on how they have been affected by the rising cost of living in the UK.

The people invited to speak to the Committee include Abigail Broomfield, the creator of a petition which called on the Government to make all disabled people and unpaid carers eligible for the £650 cost of living payment.

Topics to be discussed at the session will include:

  • the challenges disabled people and their carers are facing due to increased food and energy costs
  • the effectiveness of Government support

A transcript of the session will be published on the Committee's website a few days after the session.

What is an evidence session?

An evidence session is a hearing where key stakeholders, such as Ministers or campaigners, answer questions on a particular topic. They help MPs on a committee to gain a deeper understanding of a topic.

What is the Women and Equalities Committee

The Women and Equalities Committee is a cross-party group of MPs who look into the work of the Government Equalities Office (GEO).

The Women and Equalities Committee is a select committee. Find out how select committees work.

Get involved in the work of the UK Parliament

Sign up to the Your UK Parliament newsletter for the latest information on how to get involved and make a difference.

Share your views on the cost of living and financial support for disabled people

The MPs on the Petitions Committee have scheduled a debate on this petition and another petition about the cost of living and financial support for disabled people: Make people on disability benefits eligible for the £650 one off payment

Marsha De Cordova MP, a member of the Petitions Committee, has been asked to open the debate, which will take place on Monday 22 May.

Share your views

To inform the debate, we would like to hear from you about your experiences of and views on the cost of living and financial support for disabled people.

You can share your views with us by completing this survey: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=nt3mHDeziEC-Xo277ASzSpMLsAawCSdBvMh9cdt5o9ZUMFVISExVTFY3TDVZTkRQQklBMjZNTTNFMi4u

The survey is also available in the following formats:

With British Sign Language: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=nt3mHDeziEC-Xo277ASzSpMLsAawCSdBvMh9cdt5o9ZUMUhGMEhHVVJLU0lVMjZSNlFMSUFCU0lSSy4u

Easy Read: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmselect/cmpetitions/easy_read/er-extra-money-for-disabled-people.pdf

The survey will close on 31 March.

A summary of responses will be published on the Parliament website. It will also be shared with MPs and may be referred to in the debate or within other parliamentary documents. Please don't share anything that may identify you.

Watch the debate

The debate will take place on Monday 22 May at 4.30pm.

A British Sign Language translation of the debate will also be made available on Parliament Live TV.

What are petition debates?

Petition debates are ‘general’ debates which allow MPs from all parties to discuss the important issues raised by one or more petitions, and put their concerns to Government Ministers.

Petition debates don’t end with a vote to implement the request of a petition. This means that MPs will not vote on financial support for disabled people at the end of the debate.

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Sign up to the Your UK Parliament newsletter for the latest information on how to get involved and make a difference.

MPs hear from disabled people on National Disability Strategy

A cross-party group of MPs called the Women and Equalities Committee, has heard from disabled people and representative organisations on the Government’s National Disability Strategy.

The Government’s Strategy was declared unlawful by the High Court last year due to failures in the consultation process. As a result of the ruling, 14 policies have been paused. The Government is appealing the ruling, with the hearing likely to take place this Spring-Summer.

The Committee examined the Government’s engagement with disabled people and heard views on the Health and Disability White Paper, published alongside the Spring Budget, priorities for the Disability Action Plan and compliance with international obligations.

The Committee also explored policy for non-visible disabilities and health conditions, including chronic illness, mental health problems and deafness

Further information

What is the Women and Equalities Committee

The Women and Equalities Committee is a cross-party group of MPs who look into the work of the Government Equalities Office (GEO).

The Women and Equalities Committee is a select committee. Find out how select committees work.

Get involved in the work of the UK Parliament

Sign up to the Your UK Parliament newsletter for the latest information on how to get involved and make a difference.

MPs debate petition on financial support for disabled people

MPs debated this petition on Monday 22 May.

The debate was opened by Marsha De Cordova, a member of the Petitions Committee.

During the debate, Marsha talked about the results of the Petitions Committee survey. Thank you to everyone who completed it.

What are petitions debates?

Petitions debates are ‘general’ debates which allow MPs from all parties to discuss the important issues raised by one or more petitions and put their concerns to Government Ministers.

Petition debates don’t end with a vote to implement the request of a petition. This means that MPs will not vote on financial support for disabled people at the end of the debate.

The Petitions Committee can only schedule debates on petitions started on petition.parliament.uk

Get involved in the work of the UK Parliament

Sign up to the Your UK Parliament newsletter for the latest information on how to get involved and make a difference.

MPs debate the cost of living and financial support for disabled people

MPs debated this petition on Monday 22 May.

The debate was opened by Marsha De Cordova, a member of the Petitions Committee.

Read a summary of what was said, watch the debate and access other relevant material:

Why are MPs debating the cost of living and financial support for disabled people?

What are petitions debates?

Petitions debates are ‘general’ debates which allow MPs from all parties to discuss the important issues raised by one or more petitions and put their concerns to Government Ministers.

Petition debates don’t end with a vote to implement the request of a petition. This means that MPs will not vote on financial support for disabled people at the end of the debate.

The Petitions Committee can only schedule debates on petitions started on petition.parliament.uk

Get involved in the work of the UK Parliament

Sign up to the Your UK Parliament newsletter for the latest information on how to get involved and make a difference.

MPs investigate fairness of energy bills for customers

A group of MPs called the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee are investigating the process of billing customers for their gas and electricity, and will be looking at whether the rules on charging for energy are fair for all.

Read the Committee's press notice announcing this work for more information.

The aims of the Committee's inquiry are to:

  • Determine whether the rules on billing are fair to all consumers
  • To understand what goes into the standing charge and whether that results in a fair contribution from all customers
  • To explore what restrictions there should be on energy companies utilising pre-payment tools
  • To determine how a social tariff might address inequalities

What happens next?

The Committee is conducting oral evidence sessions where it will hear from experts in the sector as well as representatives from the Government.

Their first evidence session will take place on Wednesday 8 May at 10am. You can watch the session live on [Parliamentlive.tv] [7].

An evidence session is when MPs ask key experts, such as Ministers, academics and/or campaigners, questions on a particular topic.

These experts are called "witnesses" and they help MPs to gain a deeper understanding of the issue.

The Committee will then consider all the evidence it has taken and publish a report of its findings with recommendations to the Government on any changes that might be needed.

For more information about the inquiry, including details of upcoming oral evidence sessions, visit the Committee's inquiry page.

What is the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee?

The Energy Security and Net Zero Committee scrutinises the policy, spending and administration of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and its public bodies, including Ofgem and the Committee on Climate Change.

The Energy Security and Net Zero Committee is a select committee.
- Find out how select committees work

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