What does our new Prime Minister mean for families raising disabled and seriously ill children?

Andy Burnham has historically championed devolution, affordable housing, the reform of care and public services and how to widen educational opportunities beyond traditional academic pathways.

He’s worked directly with disabled people through initiatives like the Greater Manchester Disabled People’s Panel and the Autism Act, while Secretary of State in 2009.

Listening to disabled people  

He’s recently spoken up for stronger rights for disabled people and criticised punitive approaches to disability reform. In his first speech he said support into work and support with mental health are,’ fair and sustainable ways to bring the welfare bill down.’ This gives us some hope for the outcomes of the Timms review of disability benefits.  

The voices of families raising disabled and seriously ill children and young people need to be a key part of any upcoming policy plans. 

Cost of Living 

The Prime Minister has promised a programme of support to tackle the cost of living. Firm commitments were made this week on lowering energy bills and cheaper public transport.  

Cutting VAT on Energy Bills from October will save the average household around £45 a year which is welcome news with energy bills continuing to climb. For families with disabled and seriously ill children, the savings could be greater as households that use more energy, including medical equipment around the clock, will save more money.  

Bus fares in England capped at £2 from January and throughout 2027 for areas outside of London (which has its own cap). More affordable transport is essential when facing the additional costs of being a disabled household and can improve access to education, employment and community activities. However, buses are not realistic for all families raising disabled and seriously ill children due to geography, availability and accessibility needs.

Any transport strategy aimed at supporting disabled families needs to recognise the continued importance of concessionary travel, community transport, specialist transport services and support for those who rely on cars.

These first cost-of-living measures are a positive start and we look forward to more potential measures to tackle the high costs facing families raising disabled and seriously ill children. 

Support for unpaid carers 

The Prime Minister has also consistently championed unpaid carers. His long-standing support for reform of social care and a National Care Service reflects the view that families should not be left to carry caring responsibilities without adequate support. We hope this means his government will take the new Unpaid Carers Action Plan even further – looking at increasing carers allowance and strengthening the provision for carers to take a break.  

At Family Fund we look forward to working with the new Prime Minister and his government, alongside families raising disabled and seriously ill children, to translate his vision into lasting change for families who can no longer wait for action.