28.8% of people with disabilities, compared with 18% of people without disabilities, are at risk of poverty and social exclusion in the European Union. On Sunday 1 September, on the basis of these data compiled by the EU’s statistical office, Eurostat, the European Disability Forum called on the European Commission to take action, in line with its 2021-2030 strategy.
While EDF notes that between 2018 and 2023, the rate of people with disabilities at risk of poverty fell slightly, from 29.3% to 28.8%, this risk increased over the same period in 13 Member States.
For EDF, which identifies the housing crisis and inflation as the main causes, the Commission must work towards an employment and skills guarantee, prioritise funding of accessible and affordable housing using the European Regional Development Fund, and push Member States to make disability allowances compatible with working.
The Forum also urges the EU to conduct a detailed study on the cost of living for people with disabilities and to introduce legislation on the affordability of assistive technologies.
Recommendations: https://aeur.eu/f/dag (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)