Fulfilling potential

Working together to empower disabled people

On 13 February 2013 the Government published ‘Fulfilling Potential: Building a deeper understanding of disability in the UK today’.

The aims of ‘Fulfilling Potential: Building Understanding’ are:

to provide an analysis of the current evidence on disability in the UK to inform the development of the next stage of work on Fulfilling Potential – the development of actions, outcomes and indicators
to inform public understanding and prompt debate about disability and the issues faced by disabled people
to raise awareness, drive a change in attitudes and support an increase in commitment to improving the lives of disabled people in the UK today

The main document is structured in two parts:

Part 1 provides analysis of the number of disabled people in the UK as well as looking at the way disability develops over the life course and at the fluctuating nature of disability.
Part 2 focuses on the lives of disabled people by looking at trends in outcomes and barriers to taking part in different areas of life.

The evidence is structured around the Fulfilling Potential: Next Steps themes of early intervention; choice and control and inclusive communities.

The main document summarises the analytical evidence on disability. It does not make policy recommendations but the evidence presented here will inform the work of the Disability Action Alliance and the development of government policy on disability.

As well as the main document there is also a summary version. The summary version is available in Easy Read. Both the main document and the summary are available in Rich Text Format.

Building understanding summary

Building understanding main report

If you require Braille, Large Print or Welsh versions please email fulfilling.potential@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

Fulfilling Potential – discussions so far and next steps

On 17 September 2012 the Government published two documents which set out its approach to the commitment to enable disabled people to fulfil their potential and play a full role in society.

Fulfilling Potential - the Discussions So Far: summarises what disabled people and their organisations have told us, highlights actions already planned and actions underway across Government showing how we are already addressing many of the issues raised. To complement this, and ensure transparency we have published all of the written responses to the discussion document online.

We have also published Fulfilling Potential – Next Steps which outlines our strategic narrative and areas for action. It sets out the principles that will guide the Government’s future work in supporting disabled people to realise their aspirations, promote a fair and equal society and create more inclusive communities.

Key elements of that are:

a new cross sector disability action alliance involving disabled people, their organisations, and others from the public, private and voluntary and community sectors will work together to identify and deliver the change needed to bring about equality of opportunity for disabled people;
public service reform which will support disabled people’s independence and participation;
a new partnership approach which will see disabled people having much more influence in the design and delivery of services, so they are better able to challenge where things are not delivering the outcomes they need.

Both the Discussions So Far and Next Steps documents are available in easy read and Rich Text Format.

About the Alliance

Disability Rights UK convened an initial meeting involving a range of organisations interested in joining a Disability Action Alliance on 19 November 2012. A cross section of organisations attended including a number of disabled people’s organisations.

Attendees discussed initial ideas for Alliance priorities actions that could be taken forward and how the Alliance might work.

The Office for Disability Issues, in its secretariat role, will collate the ideas and share with all interested organisations. Once the Alliance reach agreement on a way forward, the Office for Disability Issues will support them to start their work.

The Discussions So Far

Next Steps

If you require Braille, Large Print or Welsh versions please email fulfilling.potential@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

Page last reviewed: 13 February 2013