ALMOST half of all people with a disability have yet to recover from their experiences of the Covid pandemic, a damning report finds.

Sense, a national charity which aims to support people with complex needs, has published the findings just two days before the third anniversary of the unprecedented national lockdown on March 23 2020.

The research has found that people living with a disability were disproportionately affected not only by Covid itself, but the measures taken to stem its spread.

Those with disabilities made up almost 60 per cent of those who died as result of Covid, but the report also points to the longer-term effects on people left isolated as services were cut and lockdown hit.

Launching the report, Sense head of policy Sarah White said: “As we approach the eve of the third anniversary of the first national lockdown, disabled people tell us they have felt unsupported and their needs overlooked during the pandemic.

“The upcoming public inquiry is an opportunity to learn from the mistakes that have happened during the pandemic and ensure that never again are disabled people treated as second class citizens. We must seize it.”

Natalie Williams, a married mother of two who lives with Usher syndrome, is deaf and is progressively losing her sight, speaks of the damage done three years on.

“I was going out on my own, I was going on the buses, the train, and I felt comfortable doing it,” she said.

“Since Covid, I’ve lost all that and I can’t seem to get it back. I’m just too anxious to go anywhere, to do anything.

“I’m stuck in the house all week because I don’t go out unless I’ve got someone with me.

“I’ve lost all my independence really, and am struggling to get it back. It’s like nobody really cares.”

Linda Burnip, of Disabled People Against Cuts, said: “This research helps show the utter contempt the Tories have for disabled people.

“Support services, particularly social care packages, were frequently slashed during the pandemic with the need to self isolate being given as a flimsy excuse for taking away the help some disabled people need in order to be able to take part in society. 

“In many cases this was never reinstated leaving disabled people locked away in their homes.”

The Department of Health and Social Care was contacted for comment.