The UK Government’s new Disability Action Plan sets out the immediate actions they will take in 2024 to improve disabled people’s everyday lives. It also lays the foundations for longer-term change.
The Plan outlines numerous actions in many different areas, including:
- Including disabled people’s needs in emergency and resilience planning.
- Improving information and outcomes for families in which someone is disabled.
- Making government publications and communications more accessible.
- Helping businesses understand the needs of and deliver improvements for disabled people.
- Exploring if the UK could host the Special Olympics World Summer Games.
- Researching issues facing disabled people in the future.
The Plan’s also available as an easy read version, as a large print version, as a British Sign Language version, as an audio version, and in Welsh.
A Statement From The Ann Craft Trust
Ann Craft Trust CEO Stuart Sale said:
It’s pleasing to see the new Disability Action Plan launched and I’m pleased that there is an action around understanding the effect of domestic abuse on people with a disability. The Ann Craft Trust welcomes the opportunity to work with the Government in this area.
But as it’s being launched in an election year, there may be some delays on its progress. Personally, I’m withholding my full optimism until I’ve seen some updates later in the year.
Unfortunately, some of the actions outlined in the plan seem non-committal, using words like ‘explore’ and ‘consider’ to describe their plans. However, it is exciting to see the plan to explore an opportunity to bid for the 2031 special Olympics, as we recognise the importance of sport and activity on wellbeing for everyone.
A Statement From Sport England
Tim Hollingsworth, Sport England’s chief executive and disability and access ambassador for sport and physical activity, said:
The plan outlined today sets out a broad approach and includes a number of necessary actions that will go some way to improving the lives of disabled people in this country.
There is, of course, no silver bullet that will solve all of the problems facing disabled people overnight, but today’s publication represents a milestone for everyone who cares about tackling inequality and removing the barriers disabled people face on a daily basis.