In honour of the International Day of Disabled People, Chris Evans MP calls on the British Government to follow in the footsteps of the Welsh Government in 2002, and formally adopt the UN’s Social Model of Disability. This model sets out a different way to view disability, rather than defining people as disabled due to a medical impairment, it seeks to acknowledge that people are disabled due to structural barriers created by society.
Chris Evans MP highlighted the 2021 UK Disability Survey Research Report finding that 45% of disabled people managing their own care found it difficult before COVID-19, compared with 65% during the ongoing COVID-19. And perhaps most devastating, we now know that disabled people have accounted for 6 in 10 COVID-19-related deaths.
Even in light of this, the Government has continuously failed to present a bold National Strategy for Disabled People, instead delivering a delayed list of incoherent announcements.
The Government’s adoption of the Medical Model of Disability that assumes people are disabled by their conditions or differences, has created a structure within which inequalities are allowed to persist and multiply.
Chris Evans MP said
“The long-awaited strategy announced a pitiful £4 million pounds of extra money for disabled people. This does not go anywhere near far enough and equates to only £29.50 extra per disabled person in the UK.”
“The Government has failed to present a bold National Strategy for Disabled People, instead delivering a delayed list of incoherent announcements.”
“Disabled people deserve better. This is why Labour is committed to incorporating the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled Persons into British law. This means eliminating disability discrimination and a better deal for disabled people.”