Disability Rights UK

Covid Inquiry - Module 9: Disabled People “Excluded by Design” from

🚨NEWS🚨

As part of the ongoing Covid-19 Inquiry, we criticised the Government’s pandemic financial measures for failing to redistribute to those most in need, and for even “actively excluding” Disabled people altogether in some cases.

Press release👇
www.disabilityrightsuk.org/news/covid-i...

In conversation with… Dan White — Sensing Climate An excellent session with Dan White, policy and campaigns officer at Disability Rights UK, leading a coalition of global disability climate activists to respond to the climate crisis…

It was super to chat with Dan White of @disrightsuk.bsky.social for our 'Disability & Climate: In Conversation With' session yesterday! Recording, transcript & links now up online! sensing-climate.com/events/dan-w...

UK Covid-19 Inquiry Report Details Damning Failure to Protect

🚨BREAKING NEWS🚨

UK Covid-19 Inquiry report has just been released - it details the damning failure to protect Disabled people as “too little, too late”, mentioning government's “remarkable” failure to anticipate and plan an effective response

More👇
www.disabilityrightsuk.org/news/uk-covi...

Disability Rights UK's Writes to Chancellor Before Upcoming Budget

🚨BREAKING NEWS🚨

Disability Rights UK have written to the Chancellor before the upcoming budget, urging for an end to cuts and immediate investment in our public services.

Read the full letter below 👇
www.disabilityrightsuk.org/news/disabil...

UK Covid-19 Inquiry to Release Report on Decision-Making and

🚨BREAKING NEWS🚨

Tomorrow, the Covid-19 Inquiry will release a report on the decision-making and political governance during the pandemic. This will be of keen interest to the DPOs who took part in the inquiry as core participants

Full press release 👇
www.disabilityrightsuk.org/news/uk-covi...

💥Our newsletter for DPO sector workers is dropping next week!

It comes out on the last Monday of every month - make sure you're subscribed to receive all the upcoming events, funding opportunities & news in your inbox!

Sign-up and share in your networks www.disabilityrightsuk.org/sign-our-dpo...

Disability Rights Handbook - 2025-2026 The handbook provides in-depth information and invaluable guidance on the benefits system and social care services. Full of tools and tactics to help you make a successful claim. Your right to benefit...

📣Special DISCOUNT on our Disability Rights Handbook!

⏰For a limited time only, get 20% off our Handbook with discount code: WINTER20

This is our 50th Handbook edition - we have spent half a century helping you make a successful claim!

Discount here👇
shop.disabilityrightsuk.org/discount/WIN...

Launching soon! Get ready to spark creativity in your local area. A new toolkit for local creative groups and Disabled people Save the date Join us online 6pm, Tuesday 24th February 12pm noon Thursday 26th February

🎨Access to creative spaces is a right not a privilege!

🛠️Make it Together, a pilot project we've been leading on, used your input to co-produce a Toolkit to help local creative groups make their spaces more accessible.

Save the date! More info⬇️ www.disabilityrightsuk.org/make-it-toge...

📚Event: UK Disability History Month 2025 Launch!

📅November 20th
⏰6:30 - 8pm
💻Online

With speakers from across the disability activism sphere - take a look and sign up 👇https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ukdhm-2025-launch-live-tickets-1964996628813?aff=oddtdtcreator

Health and care funding crisis will create pressure to choose assisted suicide, MPs and peers are told Many terminally-ill people would feel “duress” and “pressure” to choose an assisted suicide if it is legalised, because of the lack of funding for the NHS, palliative care and social care services,…

🚨Liz Carr's evidence against the Assisted Dying Bill

"Once [Assisted Suicide] becomes a medical treatment, then that’s when it terrifies me, because it happens behind closed doors and is based on medical subjectivity"

More from @johnpring.bsky.social 👇
www.disabilitynewsservice.com/health-and-c...

The jobs disabled people are pushed towards - and what they really need Campaigners warn the Government's approach risks trapping disabled people in unsuitable roles

🗣️“Cutting support does not lead to people getting work. Those of us pushed into work by cuts will end up in precarious jobs, we will be there for a few months before the work has made us even sicker.”

DR UK campaign Mikey quoted in @theipaper.com today 👇
inews.co.uk/news/politic...

Rachel Reeves signals plan to remove two-child benefit cap in budget Chancellor understood to be preparing to fully reverse measure, which would cost over £3bn but could lift 350,000 children out of poverty

Benefit cuts and caps are a choice - and the Government can choose to remove them in their upcoming budget.

We support the signals the two-child benefit cap may be scrapped - and why stop there?
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

DPO Open Letter on the Terminally Ill Adults Bill: Add Your Signature!

🚨Calling all DPOs🚨

Tomorrow, the Joint Committee on Human Rights will take evidence on the implications of the Assisted Dying Bill. No DPO has been invited to give evidence.

SIGN our open letter (DM us or reply under this post)👇 www.disabilityrightsuk.org/news/dpo-ope...

📢Cut sanctions not benefits: Budget day of action!

Join Unite Community to protest the benefit sanctions that are pushing people further into poverty.

📅Wednesday 26th November
🕛12 noon
📍Parliament - College Green, London, SW1

More info👇 www.unitetheunion.org/news-events/...

Disabled Students Still Face Major Barriers in Higher Education, New

🚨NEWS🚨
Disabled Students Still Face Major Barriers in Higher Education, Report Finds

"This report calls for a move away from reactive patchwork solutions towards a whole-institution approach where accessibility and inclusion are built-in, not bolted on"
www.disabilityrightsuk.org/news/disable...

Covid Inquiry Learns That Flawed Systems Led to Unjust Harms for

🚨NEWS🚨

Covid Inquiry Learns That Flawed Systems Led to Unjust Harms for Disabled Children

"What happened during Covid-19 to children and young people was unjust, largely inevitable under the current systems and yet there is no plan for reform"

www.disabilityrightsuk.org/news/covid-i...

'Shocking ableist nonsense': Reform UK MP slammed for Motability car claims A REFORM UK MP has been panned over "nonsense" calls to replace Motability cars with banned three-wheel vehicles from the 1960s

Pleased to be quoted in this - we must pushback on these narratives that scapegoating us for successive governments' policy failures.

The enemy is not the wheelchair user or migrant next door, but those legislating to make all our lives harder.
www.thenational.scot/news/2558529...

24% of Disabled people avoid using public transport due to accessibility issues.

4.7 million Disabled people live in poverty.

The politicians who make the above stats a reality are choosing to attack the Motability Scheme, instead of the system that locks us out of society.

What is Fitness to Disabled People? Gavin's Story - Get Yourself Active As part of National Fitness Day, we wanted to spotlight Disabled people’s experiences of activity and sport – today we're hearing from Gavin!

🗣️"Nowadays fitness looks different from my younger years. Its predominantly wheelchair based or seated and I love it. I think the biggest thing it’s taught me is how to adapt."

Hear Gavin's story of getting back into sport and what it means to him👇
getyourselfactive.org/story/what-i...

Rights for Disabled people NOW! Banner

"30 years since the Disability Discrimination Act, now what?"

Join our annual conference looking at the last 3 decades of disability activism and how it can inform tackling current challenges.

📅November 26th
⏰5 - 6:30pm
💻Online via Zoom

Register now! www.disabilityrightsuk.org/news/disabil...

Image of climate protestors, one with a big green placard that says Climate Justice NOW

🌎Get involved in Everyone's Environment!

Disabled people are disproportionately impacted by climate change, yet our stories are some of the least heard.

Become part of the network for change to put our communities at the centre of policy.

Learn more👇
www.disabilityrightsuk.org/everyones-en...

Disabled People Fear Fresh Attacks in November Budget

We are appalled at the Government's threats to PIP and the Motability Scheme we are hearing surrounding their upcoming budget.

Balancing their books on the backs of the most marginalised is a political choice, an unconscionable one.

Read Fazilet's blog 👇
www.disabilityrightsuk.org/news/disable...

'I'm a disabled homeowner - can I afford to be ill?' Katie McConnell says she struggled to get life insurance and mortgage protection when buying a home.

"All these things the insurers say sound reasonable, but are tantamount to saying Disabled people are an unusual case, and that their lives are inherently riskier." - Mikey, DR UK campaigner

Disabled adults are 3x more likely to be in rented housing 👇
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Schools White Paper pushed back to 2026

🚨NEWS🚨

DELAY of Government's 'Schools White Paper', expected to outline the Government's plans for large-scale reform of SEND. Have they felt the pressure from campaigners highlighting the lack of consultation with Disabled children and families...?

www.disabilityrightsuk.org/news/schools...

The rights outlined in the Children and Families Act are a lifeline for many families, enabling them to challenge unlawful decisions at tribunals. Losing that lifeline would cut off support for many and remove the one tool parents have to seek accountability.

Image of DR UK's Bethany Bale speaking at the APPG on SEND meeting, with MPs around the table looking and listening to her.

Image of 8 MPs sitting around a table in the APPG for SEND meeting.

Image of 9 MPs sitting around a table in the APPG for SEND meeting. Diane Abbott is speaking

Yesterday, our Education Policy Officer, Bethany Bale, spoke to the APPG on SEND about the current landscape for Disabled children and their families.

Currently, they have to fight every step of the way to access basic rights, and then they’re scapegoated for the broken system.

Children with SEND need support, not restrictions to their rights With the SEND white paper due to be published, Bethany Bale writes about what must change to ensure that children get the right support.

Read Beth's piece for the Big Issue 'Children with SEND need support. The government must not restrict their rights' outlining the changes to the system we need to protect Disabled children's education.

www.bigissue.com/opinion/chil...

Image of a packed APPG parliamentary room, with many people and MPs sitting around the table. beth is in the left hand corner, speaking to the room

DR UK's Bethany Bale speaking now to the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for SEND on the potential implications of the forthcoming 2025 Schools White Paper for Disabled students.

We must continue to call-out and resist any attempts to erode the rights of Disabled children.

What is Fitness to Disabled People? Katy's Story - Get Yourself Active As part of National Fitness Day, we wanted to spotlight Disabled people’s experiences of activity and sport – today we're hearing from Katy!

🧗‍♀️"Rock climbing was my starting point. Instead of focusing on my limitations, I had to work out how to make my body work for me—through adaptations or finding another route."

Read Katy's story of adventure sports and the power of DPOs ⬇️
getyourselfactive.org/story/what-i...

BRIL Open Meeting Online Open Meeting discussing Laws around Disability and how you can have your say in the road map for independent living.

📣Open meeting by Bristol Independent Living

📅Saturday, 22nd November
⏰2 - 4pm
💻Online

Open meeting discussing laws around disability and how you can have your say in the road map for independent living!

Sign up👇
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bril-open-...