Progress of disability rights, 1970-2010

Disability rights progress, 1970-2010

1970 Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act

This made the provision of social services for eligible disabled people obligatory for councils.

1971 Attendance allowance introduced

Disabled people needing attendance day and night receive a non-means-tested benefit.

1974 First minister for disabled people

Alf Morris introduces benefits for disabled people and carers, including mobility allowance in 1976.

1983 Mental Health Act

Allows compulsory treatment and detention of those with mental health problems.

1986 Disabled Persons Act

This required social services to provide disabled people with a written assessment and take into account the abilities of informal carers to carrying on caring when deciding to provide services.

1989 My Left Foot released

The Oscar-winning biopic of novelist and artist Christy Brown, an Irishman with cerebral palsy who wrote and painted with his left foot. The Starring Daniel Day-Lewis (pictured), the film is credited with raising disability consciousness among the public.

1992 Disability living allowance introduced

DLA replaces attendance and mobility allowances for those who are disabled before age of 65.

1995 Disability Discrimination Act

Made it illegal to discriminate against disabled people in employment or in the provision of good and services.

1996 Community Care (Direct Payments) Act

Empowered councils to give working-age social care users cash payments in lieu of services.

1997 Gloucester judgement

Local authorities allowed to consider budgetary implications when assessing a disabled person’s eligibility for services – a blow to campaigners.

2000 Disability Rights Commission established

The commission is charged with upholding the rights of disabled people under the DDA.

2005 Disability Discrimination Act

The act introduces a duty on public authorities to promote disability equality.

2008 UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities comes into force

This obliges members to root out disability discrimination and promote equal rights. Ratified by UK in 2009 but with opt-outs.

2009 Fiona Pilkington inquest

Disability hate crime cast into the spotlight after inquest rules Pilkington killed herself and her daughter, Francesca Hardwick, in 2007 after suffering years of abuse from a local gang.