The Big Question

Eve Rank – Inspired Services
I know from bitter experience that we are not. My husband has just blown up the microwave because he can’t see the numbers on it. It is going to cost us £195 to buy one from the RNIB. He even pays full price for the TV licence when he can’t even see the screen because they have not registered him yet. So give us some more money, we need it!

Kerry Evans – Parent of two severely autistic boys
Poor interagency collaboration can cause financial hardship, with the knock-on effect of family breakdown. Not providing adequate respite or education and poor interagency collaboration all add to the financial hardships of disability, and so inadequate compensation for being disabled ends up costing the state more.

Len Smith – Gypsy activist
Disabled people I know make do on little money. On the other hand, I know several who fiddle disablement benefits for extra income, and they are part of the reason why the genuine cases cannot be paid a decent amount. Society should also examine its own “lower taxation” demands and its conscience and realise that services must be paid for.

Kierra Box – Young people’s activist
Services for disabled people are expensive, and families with disabled children are particularly in need of financial assistance. How can we argue that “every child matters” while watching the families of a big minority fall into debt as they struggle to cope? This is not about compensation, but about ensuring equal access to services and experiences for all.