The Government’s Disability Strategy

Mike1
Mike1 Member Posts: 1,992
in Living with arthritis

The Government released its Disability Strategy after they broke up for the summer recess, it does not address the low level of benefits that millions of Disabled people are forced to live on; it doesn’t strengthen equality legislation or make enforcement easier; it doesn’t state that all new build homes will be accessible; it doesn’t set an end date for train stations being accessible; it doesn’t tackle the inadequacy of social care or reduce charging; it doesn’t improve the education received by Disabled learners; and it proposes no bold measures to tackle the disability employment gap.

Comments

  • Lilymary
    Lilymary Member Posts: 1,750

    That’s pretty disappointing to say the least, what does it actually offer?

  • Mike1
    Mike1 Member Posts: 1,992

    The actual documents are here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-disability-strategy quite a bit of it is waffle and generalisations. Although the "strategy" is based on a survey of disabled people I think that the government have missed some quite significant points, but there again I have only skimmed the documents.

  • Lilymary
    Lilymary Member Posts: 1,750

    Thanks, I’ll try to have a look through them

  • CarolPool
    CarolPool Member Posts: 2

    Thanks for this link, I'll have a look through it. Though I am not surprised at what you say, the government approach to disability since at least 2010 has been to 'submerge' disabled people, with eager help from the media, both tabloids and television. I can't remember the last time I saw an article or programme about disabled people that wasn't poverty porn (whether or not we 'deserve' to get benefits) how 'heroic' we are, or how pitiable. I have worked for disabled people for some years, but I've only recently become disabled myself (osteoarthritis) and I'm still trying to learn how to cope with other people's ignorance with some grace. The most exasperating for me was a twit of an official at the job centre who tried to browbeat me about why hadn't had a knee operation to 'cure' the arthritis, so I could take on a wider range of jobs.

  • YvonneH
    YvonneH Member Posts: 1,075

    Hi @CarolPool,

    Welcome to the Online Community. Thank you for contributing to the discussion here, you will have an interesting perspective seeing it from 2 viewpoints as it were.

    I'm linking you to the link on osteoarthritis from our website

    https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/osteoarthritis/

    It is quite comprehensive as it includes sections on living with OA, coping with the symptoms and it has Mel's story, which is one persons take on what a diagnosis meant for her and how she is managing.

    Please do look around and join in wherever you can, supporting and sharing is what makes this community so special.

    Take care

    Yvonne x

  • Lilymary
    Lilymary Member Posts: 1,750
    edited 23. Aug 2021, 13:25
    https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/684275#Comment_684275

    "The most exasperating for me was a twit of an official at the job centre who tried to browbeat me about why hadn't had a knee operation to 'cure' the arthritis, so I could take on a wider range of jobs."

    Wow! I hope you put the twit right! 🙄

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