Department for Work and Pensions

2011 news archive

Read about Office for Disability Issues activities or news from the past year

 

December 2011

Contributions wanted to shape Disability Strategy

ODI Director Jeremy Moore has called for contributions from deaf and disabled people from all walks of life to shape the new cross-Government Disability Strategy.

The Government launched a discussion paper on 1 December calling for contributions suggesting the best ways to remove the barriers that prevent deaf and disabled people from fulfilling their potential, and having opportunities to play a full role in society.

The responses submitted to the discussion document will help shape the new cross-Government Disability Strategy to be launched in spring 2012.

Speaking to the UK Council on Deafness conference this week, Jeremy said:

“We need to find the best solutions for current times and identify what will have maximum impact with limited resources.”

“Please join the conversation to make the final strategy truly representative.”

New Life Opportunities Survey results published

The full results from wave one of the Life Opportunities Survey have been released.

The Survey compares how disabled and non-disabled people participate in society in a number of areas.

This latest release updates the interim findings previously released by the Office for National Statistics on 9 December 2010.

Minister for Disabled People, Maria Miller, said:

“The Government is committed to enabling disabled people to fulfil their potential and have the opportunity to play a full role in their community.  Some of the barriers in society which stop that happening have been removed over the past 40 years but there is far more to do.
                                      
“Alongside disabled people, we are now developing a new disability strategy to help breakdown the barriers to social mobility and equal opportunities faced by disabled people in Britain.”

The Survey results and reports are on the Life Opportunities Survey page.

Disabled people to directly inform new strategy

Disabled people and their organisations throughout the UK are being asked to contribute directly to a new cross-government disability strategy.

The strategy aims to give renewed impetus to the Government’s commitment to disability equality. It sets out areas for discussion based on three key principles:

Responses to today’s discussion document will feed directly into the Government’s strategy, which will be published in spring next year.

Minister for Disabled People, Maria Miller said:

“The Government is committed to enabling disabled people to fulfil their potential and have the opportunity to play a full role in their community.”

“Some of the barriers in society which stop that happening have been removed over the past 40 years but there is far more to do, even at a time when the country’s finances are under great pressure.”

“Working with disabled people I now want to ensure that there is a clear focus in place across Government so that the money that is available takes full account of disabled people.”

“This week’s International Day celebrates the contribution of disabled people across the Globe and by working together we can ensure that this country remains a worldwide leader in disability equality.”

Comments can be submitted until 9 March 2012.

November 2011

Minister welcomes first UN Convention report

Minister for Disabled People Maria Miller has welcomed the first United Kingdom Government report on implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled People.

This report comes two years after ratification of the Convention; it details what has been achieved, and confirms the Government’s commitment to disability equality.

The report shows, among other things, that there are over 500,000 more disabled people in work compared to the numbers in 2000. It also highlights the £370 million invested in accessible transport through the Access for All programme.

Welcoming the publication of the report, Maria Miller said:

“We have achieved an important milestone. Our report sets out the progress we have made across the United Kingdom and the approach to delivering the Government’s commitment to equality for disabled people.”

“Going forward, we will maintain this momentum through a new Disability Strategy. We will use the Convention as a starting point to focus all our energy on ensuring that disabled people have the opportunity to fulfil their potential.”

“We will involve disabled people in this process. I will be setting out my approach shortly, with a view to publishing the Strategy next year.”

Government consulted with disabled people’s organisations to prepare the report, including making the draft report publicly available online for comment earlier this year.

The comments disabled people made will directly inform the development of the new Disability Strategy. A discussion document on the new Strategy will be published in December.

October 2011

ODI Director looks ahead to equality for disabled people

The Government aims to remove barriers so disabled people can fulfil their potential and play a full part in society, ODI Director Jeremy Moore said in a keynote speech this week.

Speaking at the Inside Government Disability Forum, Mr Moore said that a wide-ranging debate on disability policy will start in December with the publication of the Disability Strategy discussion document.

The results of this discussion will be published in March next year with the final strategy to follow later in 2012.

September 2011

New report analyses impairment barriers

A new report that looks at the main barriers that adults with impairments experience across life areas has been published.

The report uses data from the Life Opportunities Survey, which is run by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on behalf of ODI. It focuses on the most common barriers faced by adults with impairments in areas including employment, education, leisure, transport and public services.

Office for Disability Issues welcomes new Director

Jeremy Moore has joined as the new Director of Independent Living and Office for Disability Issues (ODI).

Jeremy’s remit will encompass all disability issues, including employment, benefits and ODI, reflecting a more joined up approach across Government.

Welcoming Jeremy’s appointment, Maria Miller, the Minister for Disabled People, said:

“Jeremy brings with him a wealth of experience and expertise and I look forward to working with him in engaging with disabled people and disability organisations to ensure they are fully involved in the decisions which affect their lives.”

“Bringing all disability issues together under one Directorate reflects our commitment to a more joined up approach to ensuring disability issues are given the attention they deserve.”

Government to tackle obstacles to elected office

Disabled people seeking elected office will have access to extra training and development after the Government announced its intention to carry forward a range of proposals.

The Government set out its intention to take forward five of the six proposals from the recent public consultation on Access to Elected Office for disabled people.

The measures to be taken forward are:

The Government Equalities Office will work with stakeholders to develop these proposals before making a further announcement in the coming months.

ODI publish guidance on how to involve disabled people in social research

The guidance published by ODI, on 7 September, provides social researchers with practical ideas on how to involve disabled people in each stage of the research process. With chapters including: producing accessible and inclusive research design and conducting accessible survey fieldwork.

Reflections on Rowen Jade’s contribution to Equality 2025

2 September 2011 marks the first anniversary of Rowen Jade’s death, the former Chair of Equality 2025.

Rachel Perkins shares her reflections on Rowen’s untimely death, her contribution to Equality 2025 and the lasting legacy of her work.

July 2011

ODI wins Royal Statistical Society award

ODI and Office for National Statistics (ONS) staff were awarded a commendation at the Royal Statistical Society annual award ceremony on 30 June.

The award was in recognition of the Easy Read version of the Life Opportunities Survey (LOS) that allows statistics to be shared with a wider range of stakeholders, and particularly makes the information accessible to people with learning disabilities.

The Royal Statistical Society said that both ODI and ONS “pushed boundaries and set new standards” on how official statistical analysis should be communicated.

Disabled people were essential to the development of the survey materials and the Easy Read Executive Summary.

New Programme to Strengthen Disabled People’s User-Led Organisations

A new programme to strengthen local disabled people’s user-led organisations was launched by Minister for Disabled People Maria Miller today (20 July 2011)

It will encourage the sharing of expertise and provide an opportunity for organisations to bid for extra money from a £3 million fund. Richard Watts from ECDP has been appointed to lead the programme.  He will be supported by 12 Ambassadors who will work with individual organisations and help to share good practice, knowledge and learning.

June 2011

More time to comment on UN Convention draft report

ODI has extended the deadline for disabled people and their organisations to submit comments to 5pm, 25 July 2011.

This extension will also give organisations more time to discuss the report with their members. The government has a strong commitment to the Convention including the requirement to involve disabled people in the process.

Individuals and organisations can send comments to ODI using an online form or by emailing odi.international@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

Independent living scrutiny group - second annual report

The Independent Living Scrutiny Group (ILSG) is an independent group of disabled people that offers government its views on progress on delivery of the Independent Living Strategy.

The ILSG publishes a yearly report to keep disabled people informed about progress.

The scrutiny from the second annual report highlights three key areas that have really impacted on disabled people over the last years.

Young people explain the UN convention

Six young disabled people have demystified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in a video explaining their own experiences of school and their busy social lives.

The ambassadors are all from Whizz-Kidz, a charity that supports young people to access the right mobility equipment, including powered wheelchairs. Two of the group interviewed the Minister for Disabled People Maria Miller for the video.

Ms Miller said it was a privilege to speak to Lucy Davies, 19, and Josh Surgeoner, 15, and to contribute to the work they are doing to raise awareness of the UN Convention.

She said: “We discussed a wide range of issues and I hope the interview will help stimulate further debate of these important issues.”

The short film was conceived by disabled young people for disabled young people, with the production aided by the support of ODI volunteers.

The young people hope to inspire viewers to stand up for their right to participate equally in education and in wider society, and to have a say in decisions that impact on their daily lives.

For further information please contact Rob Dyson, PR Manager on 020 7798 6103 or r.dyson@whizz-kidz.org.uk.

May 2011

ODI publish two reports on local initiatives on independent living

ODI publish two reports on local initiatives on independent living On 24 May 2011, ODI published two reports looking at demonstration projects around independent living. The South East Regional Initiative demonstration project aimed to increase the voice, choice and control of older people with high support needs living in care homes and those at risk of moving into care. The Support Planning and Brokerage project looked to demonstrate how user-led support planning and brokerage can enable disabled people to have choice and control over the support they need.

Download the reports on the Independent Living Project page

UN Convention draft report released today

ODI has released a draft government report on the UK’s implementation of the United Nations Convention on Rights for Disabled People, since July 2009. Don’t miss this opportunity to have your say.

Submit your comments on the report using our online form by 5pm, 20 June 2011.

Drive to support Disabled People’s User-led Organisations

Recruitment has now started for:

Read about how to apply for these positions.

April 2011

ODI and DCMS publish 2012 legacy opportunities for disabled people

ODI and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have worked with a range of organisations to agree a narrative outlining the opportunities available to disabled people under the Olympic Games and Paralympics legacy priorities. These priorities were chosen by disabled people and cover three themes:

Read the report on our 2012 legacy page.

New education (Key Stage 2) disability equality indicator data published

New disability equality indicator data on Key Stage 2 grades were published on 04 April 2011. The updated data compare the grades attained by pupils with and without Special Educational Needs (SEN) at Key Stage 2 Maths and English.

These data are available as indicator A3 on our Disability Equality Indicators page.

March 2011

The Public Sector Equality Duty: are you ready?

The Public Sector Equality Duty comes into effect on 5 April. The Duty replaces the three existing public sector equality duties covering disability, race and gender. It also extends to other protected characteristics covered in the Equality Act 2010.

The Duty has three aims. When developing or implementing policy, it requires public bodies to have due regard to the need to:

This means that public bodies need to consciously consider these three aims when making decisions that will affect the public. For example, the Duty covers how a public authority acts as an employer, how it develops policies, how it designs and delivers services and how it procures services.

Minister for Disabled People appoints new Chair to Equality 2025

Maria Miller MP, Minister for Disabled People, has announced the appointment of Dr Rachel Perkins as the new Chair to Equality 2025. Dr Perkins will take up the post from 1 April 2011 for a three-year term.

Further information, including quotes from the Minister and new Chair, is available in the press release. A profile of Dr Perkins is also available.

New education (Key Stage 4) disability equality indicator data published

New disability equality indicator data on Key Stage 4 grades were published on 21 March 2011. The updated data compare the grades attained by children with SEN with those attained by children without SEN.

These data are available as indicator A9 on our Disability Equality Indicators page.

Accessible Media Player featured in Able magazine

The March/April 2011 edition of Able, the UK's leading disability lifestyle magazine, includes a full page article on ODI's Accessible Media Player. The article highlights how the player brings together the best of existing assistive technology and puts it in the hands of the user.

Find out why RNIB called the player "the most accessible the most accessible player available on the web".

Any public sector organisation that would like to find out more about the player can see a demonstration on this website, or contact odi.communciations@dwp.gsi.gov.uk for more information.

New higher education disability indicator data published

New disability equality indicator data on higher education were published on 03 March 2011. The updated data compares the proportion of disabled students who attain a first class or upper-second class degree with the proportion on non-disabled students who attain a first class or upper-second class degree.

These data are available as indicator A9 on our Disability Equality Indicators page.

New housing disability indicator data published

New disability equality indicator data on housing accommodation were published on 01 March 2011. The updated data compares the standard of accommodation for households including a disabled person with the standard of accommodation for households that do not include a disabled person.

These data are available as indicator G2 on our Disability Equality Indicators page.

The Ministry of Justice: improving the justice system for disabled people

The Ministry of Justice is looking at the ways the justice system can improve its service for disabled people. In particular, it is looking at how to improve partnership working and strengthen the link between agencies across government.

It would like to speak to groups representing disabled people to explore how the justice system can be improved for disabled people who use its services, including victims, witnesses, suspects, defendants, offenders and practitioners.

Please contact Simon Denison from the Fairness and Confidence Unit at the Ministry of Justice for further information.

February 2011

Access to Elected Office consultation published

The Access to Elected Office consultation was published on 16 February 2011. The document sets out policy proposals for increasing access to elected office by disabled people. The closing date for responses to the consultation is 11 May 2011. 

The Government Equalities Office (GEO), Cabinet Office and ODI have worked with Equality 2025 and disabled people’s organisations to co-produce the proposals and draft the consultation paper.

Response to definition of disability consultation published

The government’s response to the consultation on guidance about the definition of disability was published on 10 February 2011. The draft statutory guidance, published alongside the response, will be laid in parliament for 40 days.

The Equality Act 2010 includes the legal definition of a disabled person who is protected from discrimination. This definition is slightly different from the definition used in the Disability Discrimination Act. The new guidance reflects these changes and will help people to understand how the definition works.

ODI launches web pages for front-line professionals

ODI has created new web pages for front-line professionals to learn more about giving disabled people greater choice and control in their daily lives. The new section is part of our work to create a better understanding of what choice and control means amongst practitioners by sharing examples of good practice from across England.

January 2011

ODI publishes ‘Public Perceptions of Disabled People’

The latest research report from ODI, ‘Public perceptions of disabled people’, was published on 27 January 2011. The report looks at attitudes towards disabled people using questions asked on the 2009 British Social Attitudes Survey (BSAS). It measures how much prejudice there is in Great Britain towards disabled people and examines how attitudes have changed between 2005 and 2009.

ODI’s Accessible Media Player is "the most accessible player available on the web"

The ODI Accessible Media Player offers an inclusive online experience for disabled and non-disabled users, whether watching video or listening to a podcast. It is the first online media player to pass the RNIB Surf Right accessibility audit.

Bim Egan, Senior Web Access Consultant from RNIB, says "RNIB Access Consultancy Service is delighted to award our Surf Right logo to the ODI Media Player... we believe it must be the most accessible player available for use on the web."

The player is available, free, to any government department or voluntary organisation. See the player in action at www.odi.gov.uk/player and contact the ODI Communications Team for more information.

Help Radar take action on disability hate crime

Almost half of all disabled people are affected by disability hate crime. However, only 1,200 cases were prosecuted in the three years to March 2010.

Radar, the Royal Association for Disability Rights, is working to improve the reporting and recording of disability hate crime by developing a national independent disability hate crime reporting centre. The development of the centre will also provide guidance on minimum standards to empower disabled people’s organisations to set up their own reporting centres. The project also aims to raise disabled peoples’ awareness of disability hate crime and incidents and how to report them.

Currently, Radar wants to:

Third-party reporting sites

Disability hate crime third-party reporting sites should send their details to Radar at StopDHC@radar.org.uk. Please include details of where the site is based, a contact telephone number, e-mail or postal address and a short paragraph about what the site provides.

Experiences of reporting disability hate crime

Radar needs to understand why disabled people don’t report disability hate crime and what would make them more confident to report that crime. Visit the link below to complete the survey, or contact Radar for a hard copy or Easy Read version.

ODI staff are assisting in taking this project forward.

New employment disability indicator data published

New disability equality indicator data on employment are published today. The updated data include:

These data are available as indicators B1 to B8 from our Disability Equality Indicators page.

Page last reviewed: 04 November 2010

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