Department for Work and Pensions

Office for Disability Issues news

All the latest news and activities from the Office for Disability Issues

 

This page covers all the latest news from the Office for Disability Issues (ODI). Earlier news items, including news from the previous administration, can be found in the News archive.

January 2012

Help available for Fulfilling Potential discussion events

Help, advice and funding are now available for disabled people’s organisations to run their own events to help shape the new Disability Strategy.

A guide has been produced to help organisations run their own engagement activities around Fulfilling Potential, which was launched earlier this month.

The discussion document asks for ideas on developing a new cross-Government Disability Strategy. We want to hear direct from disabled people on the best ways to enabling them to reach their potential.

The Office for Disability Issues can support events by providing speakers or printed copies of the Easy Read document. We’re also offering limited financial support to meet travel costs, hire a venue or cover the cost of personal assistants or interpreters.

If you’re running an engagement activity for a different audience, for example local authorities, service providers, or families and carers we can help you tailor the activities in the guide.

In order to have access to this fund you should submit an application by 20 January to fulfilling.potential@dwp.gsi.gov.uk. Full details of how to apply are in the Facilitation Guide.

We welcome feedback on this guide throughout the discussion period. This is to make sure that organisations have all the information needed to have a discussion about the future strategy.

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.

News archive

Page last reviewed: 4 January 2012

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