Recent figures reveal that 49 per cent of disabled people feel excluded from society in their day-to-day lives.
REPORT
Disability charity Scope recently launched their Disability Gamechanger campaign in response to the figures. Within the Independent. Confident. Connected. poll, 2000 working age disabled people in the UK highlighted the way the disabled community feel they are represented in society.
The figures highlight that there is a long way to go before inclusivity is achieved.
In the report, figures show that 41 per cent of those polled don’t feel valued, and only 42 per cent feel the UK is a good place for disabled people to live. Most shockingly was the fact only 23 per cent of respondents felt valued in society.
As 13.9 million people across the UK, or one in five, live with a sensory, physical or learning disability the report makes for worrying reading. Due to people’s attitudes towards disability two thirds of people said they had stopped something in the past year, and one third experience prejudice in their daily lives.
NEXT STEPS
In a bid to make daily live more inclusive, the report highlighted the significant steps Scope is set to make to change attitudes. From ensuring disabled people can get into work and stay in work, have the right care and social connections, have access to digital technology and, most importantly, working to change people’s attitudes to disability.
“We believe life in 2018 is just too tough if you’re disabled and we believe that needs to change,” explained James Taylor, head of campaigns at Scope.
“Despite the fact we’ve had equality legislation for 20 years, and the Equality Act for the last eight years, I think what’s clear is just how much is left to do, and how equality legislation is one thing but changing minds is quite another – from tackling poor attitudes in the workplace to increasing funding for social care so people can get out of the house,” added James.
Scope’s Disability Gamechanger campaign hopes to help change public opinion on disability. Recently the charity’s logo featured on Southampton Football Club’s Premier League strip to promote the campaign, with players also learning key football terms in sign language.
Moments such as this are easy to achieve but can make a lasting impact.