News

A new Office for Disability Issues to co-ordinate government work on disability is to be established, it emerged today, writes Clare Jerrom.

The announcement came as the government published a strategy designed to transform the lives of disabled people.

The strategy states that by 2025, disabled people should have full opportunities and choices to improve their quality of life.

It highlights four key areas:-

• A major expansion of direct payments to increase disabled people’s ability to live independently.

• Better family support to enable families with young disabled children to remain socially and economically included.

• Improved employment prospects of disabled people through personalised support, while providing security for those unable to work.

• Better planning for disabled young people during their transition to adulthood to ensure a smooth provision of support and services during this transitional period.

Minister for disabled people Maria Eagle said: “This report sets out a full programme of action to support disabled people in leading independent lives.

“This will lead to significantly greater participation and inclusion of disabled people in the economy and in society,” she added.

Disability charity Leonard Cheshire and the Council for Disabled Children both welcomed the proposal for the establishment of an Office for Disability Issues.

Head of policy at Leonard Cheshire John Knight said the proposal was very close to what the charity had been calling for and believed it was “an important development that has the potential to make real difference”.

But Lord Victor Adebowale, chief executive of Turning Point, warned: “The gulf between the life chances of disabled people and non-disabled people is large and there is a long way to travel to balance the injustices that prevent disabled people from having the same life chances as the rest of the population.”

He stressed that it was society that was holding people back rather than their disability, although the plans could ensure disabled people had the same opportunities as non-disabled people.

“Our vision for 2025 is one where disabled people are no longer expected to fit in to services; rather services will be designed around each individual’s needs, aspirations and priorities,” he concluded.

‘Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People’ by the Department for Work and Pensions, Department of Health, Department for Education and Skills, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit from:- http://www.number10.gov.uk/files/pdf/ilcdp_report.pdf