Doug Naysmith, MP for Bristol North West, is backing a campaign by disability charity Leonard Cheshire to tackle the levels of debt faced by disabled people.

The charity has produced a report, ‘In the Balance’, which highlights many factors that can contribute to disabled people’s experiences of debt, including: lower than average incomes (53% of those surveyed had incomes of less than £10,000 a year); higher than average costs (expensive equipment and adaptations), and lack of understanding on the part of banks and creditors.

Doug Naysmith explained, “Easy access to credit can sometimes be a factor, but for disabled people a significant amount of debt can come not from buying luxury items, but from essential purchases, for example mobility aids, or physiotherapy costs. Given that the onset of a disability often also forces people to leave work, this can leave disabled people particularly vulnerable to spiralling debt which they have little prospect of clearing.”

Doug Naysmith has signed a parliamentary motion, supported by MPs from across the political parties, highlighting the report, and calling for action to address the issue.
 
Leonard Cheshire’s head of policy, John Knight, said: “We’re delighted that Doug Naysmith has supported the motion. This is a major issue in Bristol North West and across the whole country. We hope that the support of MPs will persuade both the Government and the financial services industry of the need to work to improve the current situation.”