LABOUR have called on the UK Government to ensure that disabled people are receiving enough support with their energy bills after one family in Scotland was “saved” by a generous donation from a Hollywood actor.
Last month Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet donated £17,000 to the GoFundMe page of Carolynne Hunter from Tillicoultry, near Stirling.
Hunter’s daughter, Freya, has severe and complex health problems which necessitate at-home care and full-time oxygen.
A fundraiser was launched to help her pay the running costs of the equipment which keep Freya alive after costs skyrocketed due to the increasing price of energy.
Winslet donated to the family after hearing their story, telling the BBC during an interview with Laura Kuenssberg that it “completely destroyed” her to hear of their troubles.
Tory Ministers simply don’t get it - they are failing disabled people. It was generous of Kate Winslet to step in & pay the energy bills for a family with a disabled child. However, no one should have to rely on celebrities to support them - this is the role of government! pic.twitter.com/Mdptj2cwNQ
— Vicky Foxcroft MP 💙 (@vickyfoxcroft) December 5, 2022
She said: “I thought, on what planet is anyone going to let that happen? This is completely, completely wrong.”
Today, Labour’s shadow minister for disabled people Vicky Foxcroft said it was unacceptable for disabled people to have to rely on the generous donations of celebrities for support with their energy bills.
Speaking in the House of Commons she said: “Many disabled people are having to make unimaginable sacrifices to keep life-saving equipment running in the face of huge energy bills, and take the case of Carolynne Hunter’s 12-year-old daughter Freya, who requires oxygen for chronic breathing problems, and Carolynne’s bills rose to £17,000 in order to keep her daughter alive.
“Now thankfully, Kate Winslet stepped in and donated the full amount after being ‘absolutely destroyed’ by the family’s story, but disabled people should not have to rely on celebrities to swoop in and save the day.
“So, when will the Government finally ensure that every disabled person is receiving the support they so desperately need?”
Department for Work and Pensions Minister Tom Pursglove said “discretionary help” was to be put place to assist people.
He replied: “I’m appreciative of the shadow minister raising the issue of Carolynne’s situation and of course I’m under absolutely no illusions about how challenging the current circumstances and the climate is for many people across the country.
“That is why we are putting in place this package of support that I’ve already outlined, which is the right thing to do, as well as the discretionary help that is there to assist where there are particularly pressing needs in individual cases to address those and provide support.
“But she’ll also recognise that, for example, in the autumn statement the Chancellor announced that as part of the ongoing future work, we will be looking at things like social tariffs where we can perhaps provide even further help with these sorts of costs.”
It comes as analysis from Citizens Advice Scotland estimated that more than two million adults in Scotland have cut back on household spending due to rising energy costs.
