Sign our letter calling to halt the disability tax
August 13, 2020
Action for M.E. Chief Executive Sonya Chowdhury has written an open letter to the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, opposing plans for a new tax for online shopping.
A new tax like this will disproportionately affect those with a disability, including people with M.E. We believe that this amounts to a tax on disability. We are calling on the Government to abandon plans for a blanket tax and meet with us to discuss how they can ensure disabled people are treated equally.
The letter says:
“On behalf of the UK’s 14 million people with a disability or long-term health condition, we are writing to highlight the disproportionately detrimental effect a tax on online shopping will have, ask you to ensure people with disabilities are not discriminated against further and stop this tax. People living in the UK with a long-term health condition already face considerable disadvantages.
Many people with disabilities rely on online shopping to maintain independent living. During the Covid-19 pandemic we have seen people unable to obtain delivery slots they have relied on for years because of an increase in demand. As a result, many have been paying a premium to get food and essential supplies delivered to their home.
People with chronic conditions must balance their time and energy carefully in order not to exacerbate their symptoms, so will often rely on online shopping. It is clear that any tax targeting those who shop online will adversely hit those with a disability and their carers.
Research undertaken by Scope has highlighted that, on average, people with a disability already face extra costs of £583 a month. The Government must act to reduce this additional burden faced by people with a disability and address the inequality further highlighted by the pandemic.
Please will you meet with us and other organisations supporting people with long term health conditions, to discuss how the Government can ensure people with a disability are treated equally.”
We are asking people with M.E. and organisations who support disabled people to add their name to our letter. You can do this through this link.
