- Government launches consultation on Disability Action Plan,
which brings together ideas and action across Government to make
disabled people’s lives easier
- Plans include raising awareness of life-changing tech for
disabled people, mandatory disability awareness training for taxi
drivers, autism-friendly programmes for cultural and heritage
sites
- Plans designed by Ministers to make the UK a more inclusive
society in the long term
Immediate and practical measures proposed in the fully accessible
consultation include ensuring businesses are aware of disabled
people’s needs – including Guide Dog access needs – to allow all
disabled people to live, work and shop freely and support for
local authorities to ensure the playgrounds they build or
refurbish are accessible for disabled children.
The proposals will inform the Government’s Disability Action Plan
later this year, laying the foundations for longer term change.
Other measures in the proposed Plan include: - Raising the
profile of assistive technology to ensure more disabled people
have access to life-changing tech - Legislating for mandatory
disability awareness training for taxi and private hire drivers
to unlock greater travel freedom for disabled people -
Encouraging more autism-friendly programmes in the cultural and
heritage sectors to drive greater inclusivity - Improving
reasonable adjustments in the courts system so more disabled
people can be on juries improving diversity and breadth of
experience - Implementing the British Sign Language (BSL) GCSE, over a year after the
BSL Act was
introduced, giving thousands of pupils communication and visual
memory skills that will be an advantage to them for the rest of
their lives - Exploring the feasibility of Great Britain hosting
the Special Olympics World Summer Games in 2031.
The Disability Action Plan sits alongside the Government’s
National Disability Strategy which sets out our longer-term
vision to improve disabled people’s lives for the better.
Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, , said:
Our Disability Action Plan will lay out practical measures we can
implement here and now to improve the lives of disabled people.
From leading the way globally with assistive technology to
improving inclusivity and accessibility across sport, travel and
culture, the Plan will also be important in setting the stage for
longer term change.
We want disabled people to be at the heart of decision making and
I would encourage anyone interested to respond to this
consultation so the views of disabled people across the country
are front and centre of our final Disability Action Plan.
The Plan builds on the Government’s achievements over the last
year on education, work, leisure, and rights for disabled people.
This includes supporting the passage of landmark legislation: the
Down Syndrome Act and British Sign Language (BSL) Act – and a consultation to
support the introduction of a new BSL GCSE.
The overarching focus on disability has also ensured over 2,000
miles of King Charles III England Coast Path is accessible, while
the government has delivered an additional £1 billion for the
education of children and young people with more complex needs.
The consultation will run for 12 weeks and be open for anyone to
comment. This will ensure the Plan is informed by the experience
and views of disabled people, disability organisations and
charities as well as other interested parties.
Chair of the Disability Unit West Midlands Regional Stakeholder
Network, Louise Mckiernan said:
I welcome the Government’s commitment to their new Disability
Action Plan and their intention to take immediate and practical
actions to improve the lives of disabled people across the UK.
The launch of this consultation is an important opportunity for
disabled people in particular to have their say and to help shape
the Government’s short-term plans.
I would encourage as many disabled people, disability
organisations and other interested parties as possible to take
part in this consultation exercise to ensure their voices are
heard.
Further Information
- The consultation will run for 12 weeks, and is due to close
on the 6th October, 2023.
- Respondents can give feedback on either the entire Disability
Action Plan, or specific actions within it.
