Roughly two million Disabled people in Britain are living in destitution. The urgency for systemic change has never been clearer. The Campaign for Disability Justice, run by Inclusion Barnet, is aiming for change in several key areas. Ultimately, they want to improve the lives of Disabled people by growing public support for a few common-sense changes.
Their vision has three core priorities:
Too often, Disabled people are locked out of the job market by inflexible hours, lack of remote opportunities, and unwillingness to adapt job roles. Proper employment inclusion would unlock opportunities for people with a wide range of additional conditions and impairments.
For those who cannot work, either due to avoidable employer constraints or because their conditions and/or impairments are such that they are not able to, the Campaign for Disability Justice stresses the need for adequate financial support.
There are substantial costs that come with being Disabled. Extra energy needs can arise from being at home more, additional heating requirements, extra laundry costs, running equipment. There may be a need for specific kinds of food, possibly with expensive home delivery, and/or having to pay someone to help with things like shopping, household tasks, or gardening. Extra transport costs can also be an issue.
Disability benefits do not take these hidden costs adequately into account – indeed, generally do not come close to closing the gap.
Whether in work or out, Disabled people have the right to a decent standard of living, and that is not being met.
Those receiving benefits, in or out of work, are often stigmatised, and Disabled people are no exception.
The Campaign for Disability Justice pushes for a more accurate, respectful, and empowering portrayal of disability in public discourse.
They want politicians and the media to stop ‘punching down’ and start showing solidarity and respect.
Social Model of Disability
The above priorities have been created within the underlying principles of the ‘social model of disability’, which argues that other people’s ideas about what they can and can’t do, and how things are designed and run can be most disabling thing. They stop them from living their lives, often more so than the impairment or condition itself. Disabled people are much more able to participate in society when inaccessible buildings, stigmatising attitudes and other barriers are removed.
A User-Led Movement, Rooted in Lived Experience
The campaign is proudly user-led. The Board of Trustees at Inclusion Barnet, as well as most staff, have lived experience of disability, and most roles are reserved for Disabled applicants.
This way of recruiting has brought a level of richness to the organisation, as well as a huge amount of expertise. When developing services, employees can create something that works for different impairment groups simply because they have experience of these things themselves. If they create a front-line service, they make sure it is one they would be happy to use.
This extends to the Campaign for Disability Justice. They understand the ways in which policy decisions or current structures affect the lives of Disabled people. It affects them, too. They operate in this way whilst also valuing the support and participation of people from all different abilities and backgrounds.
The Campaign So Far
The Campaign for Disability Justice is already very active in the disability rights space. So far, they have focused on:
- Opposing cuts to essential benefits like Universal Credit and PIP
- Influencing key parliamentary discussions on the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill, warning against unintended consequences of automated benefits suspension.
- Engaging with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on developing pathways to work, focusing on changing employer behaviour.
- MP letter-writing, drawing attention to urgent policy needs
CEO Caroline Collier
“If you agree that two million Disabled people living in destitution, in one of the richest countries in the world, is unacceptable, please take a minute to sign up and share the campaign with your contacts. Together, we can create a more inclusive society for everyone.”
Get Involved
The campaign’s strength lies in coalition, and they are uniting people from across sectors and communities in the name of change. The Campaign for Disability Justice is asking for support from both organisations and individuals.
By signing up, you are supporting this movement, giving its messages more power. You will get regular updates on the campaign and links to relevant petitions. If you would like to sign up to support as an organisation, you can email the campaign at hello@campaignfordisabilityjustice.org.uk with your logo as a .png file.
Individuals can sign up on the website via the button below.
Visit the website here
