Almost half of people with disabilities say they are struggling to get essential items during coronavirus lockdown, according to a new poll.
A higher risk of infection and longer queues at supermarkets means that persons with disabilities have become more reliant on online orders during the coronavirus pandemic, reports Indepnednt.
But a survey by the charity Scope found that 38 per cent of disabled adults who needed or tried to book a slot over the past three weeks couldn’t secure one.
As a result, 46 per cent of 585 people surveyed said they had issues accessing food and essential items.
Meanwhile, those who are going out to the supermarket are facing aggressive and hostile behaviour from other shoppers.
A quarter said they have experienced negative attitudes from other shoppers, while one in seven has had a bad experience with supermarket staff.
There are 13.9 million people in the UK living with a disability, according to Scope.
James Taylor, Scope’s executive director of strategy, impact and social change, called on the government to do more to ensure that all people with disabilities can access food and other essential items during lockdown.
“Shopping is already a difficult task for many disabled people, and now many are telling us they feel judged and compelled to explain their condition just to be able to shop safely” he added.
