A petition signed by 38,931 people has been delivered to 10 Downing Street by disabled children and adults, their families, campaigners and MPs, supported by charity Sense.
It calls for a key section of the inquiry, led by Baroness Heather Hallett, to be dedicated to investigating the impact of Covid-19 on disabled people and their families, with them being invited to contribute evidence.
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A panel leading the inquiry must be representative of disabled people, it adds.
Campaigners are also calling for the “inquiry to be run in an accessible way so that disabled people can participate and engage with it”.
Hugo, 13, was among those who delivered the petition with his mother Clare Reece.
Hugo, from Cambridgeshire, has CHARGE syndrome which means he is deafblind and has respiratory problems.
Clare said: “Disabled people and their families have been forgotten in this pandemic.
“The government did not and still does not take into consideration how many families and individuals are still scared and left without support out there. Government failed to protect disabled people and their families; they must be at the heart of this inquiry.”
The campaign comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced plans to scrap Covid-19 laws in England.
From Thursday (24 February) people who test positive for Covid-19 will no longer be required to self-isolate while free mass testing will be scrapped from 1 April.
Research from Sense finds that the changes have left 70 per cent of disabled people feeling like “they are being left behind”.
Disabled children and adults, their families and those in at-risk groups, will feel forced to stay at home, and become more isolated, the charity said.
Richard Kramer, Sense chief executive, said: “The lifting of all restrictions in England, and the removal of free testing, will increase fear and anxiety amongst disabled people and their families.
“Their needs have often been overlooked throughout this pandemic, and it’s no surprise they feel forgotten, and are worried about being left behind.
“They must be heard at the inquiry. We owe it to them to investigate the decisions that have led to such a disastrous outcome.
“This is our opportunity to learn from what has happened and move forward with a commitment to tackling the inequalities disabled people face.”
