The Cabinet Office's Disability Unit is working with government colleagues, disabled people, disabled people's organisations, charities and businesses to achieve practical changes that will remove barriers and increase participation.
A key focus is the development of a National Strategy for Disabled People. This will put fairness at the heart of government work, to level up opportunity so everyone can fully participate in the life of this country.
The strategy will build on evidence and data, and critically on insights from the lived experience of disabled people.
It will include existing commitments, such as to increase special educational needs and disability funding and support pupils, students and adults to get careers advice, internships and transition into work, whilst identifying further opportunities to improve things.
Our objectives for the National Strategy for Disabled People are to:
- develop a positive and clear vision on disability which is owned right across government
- make practical changes to policies which strengthen disabled people's ability to participate fully in society
- ensure lived experience underpins policies by identifying what matters most to disabled people
- strengthen the ways in which we listen to disabled people and disabbled people's organisations, using these insights to drive real change
- improve the quality of evidence and data and use it to support policies and how we deliver them
As the coronavirus pandemic is the current priority for the government, we are reviewing our plans for the development of the strategy. We want to ensure we have enough time to get this right and undertake a full and appropriate programme of stakeholder engagement. People's views and insights will be crucial as we work with colleagues across government, disabled people and other stakeholders on possible solutions.
If you would like to know more about the National Strategy for Disabled People, follow the Disability Unit on Twitter.
