A Dundee disabled rights campaigner last night expressed his concern at the results of a study by the charity Leonard Cheshire Disability, which shows that nearly half of all people suffering from some form of disability are living on the breadline.

Arthur Lynch said increased consultation with disabled people on the part of the government had to take place if the problem is to be alleviated.

He said, “The problem is that the majority of people making decisions which will affect disabled people have no experience of what the consequences will be.

“They often consult us after the decisions are made, but they should speak to us before that.”

Mr Lynch, who is confined to a mobility scooter, said he was also concerned that the number of disabled people struggling to survive on their current income had increased by 9% since 2007, and expressed doubt this problem will be abated by any political party during the recession.

He said, “The lack of financial support we get doesn’t help our well-being and spoils our quality of life even further.

“I can’t go on holiday because I would have to pay a full-time carer to accompany me—it’s difficult being stuck in one place all the time.”

He added, “With winter coming up, I suspect people will just heat their homes and face the music later on.

“It’s not nice to think of people sitting at home with heavy jackets on because they are worried about fuel bills.”

John Knight, director of policy and campaigns at Leonard Cheshire Disability, said a government strategy to tackle disability poverty was now “more urgent than ever.”