Evidence library

Inclusion Scotland created a survey to gather evidence of what disabled people are experiencing during Covid-19, and received 822 responses.

Key findings "Our survey quickly showed that the Covid-19 crisis is having a significant impact on the mental health of disabled people and their carers. Around 15% of all respondents told us explicitly that their mental health has been negatively affected by the current crisis. Many hundreds of others told us about the stress and anxiety that they are experiencing at this time due to a number of issues."

Disabled people and their carers are under significant pressure because:

• Social care support has been stopped or reduced: Almost half of people responding on this issue told us that said that the Covid-19 pandemic has had an impact on the social care support they get, formal and informal. Around 30% of respondents told us their support had either stopped completely or had been reduced.
• People have new or increased caring responsibilities: Around 40% of people who responded to this question are experiencing challenges with caring for children/family members since the start of the pandemic.
• Disabled people are struggling to get access to the food and medicine they need: Around two thirds of those responding to this question (64%) said that the crisis has had an impact on getting the food or medicine that they need for themselves or the person they care for.
• People are concerned that they will lose their job: Around one in ten respondents to this question (11%) were concerned that they could lose their job as a result of the pandemic.
• Disabled people with and without pre-existing mental health conditions are finding everyday life under lock-down extremely stressful. Significant numbers of disabled people (15) with existing mental health problems told us that they are feeling suicidal at this time.