Dr Rhidian Hughes, Chief Executive of the Voluntary Organisations Disability Group (VODG) says:
'The Disability Action Plan provides welcome steps forward in some of the areas we know matter most to disabled people. The emphasis on inclusion, accessible communications and involvement of disabled people in emergency and resilience planning is good to see and also reflects the findings from our Commission on COVID-19, Ableism and Racism.
'This is however a short-term plan in an election year. We continue to call on political parties to be big and bold in their ambitions for disabled people. That involves prioritising co-decision making when it comes to the ongoing challenges that need addressing such as further support for people in employment, fully funding cost of living support and improving access to housing.'
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- The Disability Action Plan sets out the immediate actions the government will take in 2024 to improve disabled people's everyday lives and lays the foundations for longer-term change: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disability-action-plan
- The Plan sets out actions the government will take forward with disabled people, their organisations, and other government departments and public service providers in the following areas:
- Support disabled people who want to be elected to public office.
- Include disabled people’s needs in emergency and resilience planning.
- Include disabled people’s needs in climate-related policies.
- Improve information and outcomes for families in which someone is disabled.
- Make playgrounds more accessible.
- Help businesses understand the needs of and deliver improvements for disabled people.
- Explore if the UK could host the Special Olympics World Summer Games.
- Support people who have guide and assistance dogs.
- Help the government measure how effective its policies and services are for disabled people.
- Research issues facing disabled people in the future.
- Make government publications and communications more accessible.
- Improve understanding of the cost of living for disabled people.
- Promote better understanding of United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) across government.
- Monitor and report progress of the Disability Action Plan.