A new version of a directory for disabled people living in Midlothian called ‘Midlothian Disabled People’s Directory 2022’ has just been released.
Without correct, relevant and up-to-date information, disabled people can become isolated, unable to exercise their own rights, receive the support they need and make their own choices on how they want to live.
The directory is produced by a unique group of disabled people at Forward Mid. Their aim is to ensure that disabled people are always treated with dignity and respect as full and active, equal citizens and to secure equality and human rights for disabled people living in Midlothian and beyond.
The directory is a practical resource containing empowering information.
It signposts to organisations that can give people the support they need: from resolving a specific issue, finding a social activity, or a wider goal such as gaining more control of their lives.
Physical copies of the Directory are available from Midlothian Voluntary Action 4/6 White Hart Street, Dalkeith; local libraries: Dalkeith, Newtongrange, Danderhall, Gorebridge, Penicuik and Loanhead.
Disabled people are to benefit from a ground-breaking new advocacy service which will support access to Scotland’s social security services.
The Scottish Government has committed £20.4 million over the next four years to the provision of the new and free programme, unique in the UK.
It will offer advocacy support to disabled people looking to access Scottish social security benefits.
These include current and future disability benefits such as Child Disability Payment, Adult Disability Payment and Pension Age Disability Payment.
The service will be operational in the new year and is entirely independent of the Scottish Government and Social Security Scotland. It will be available in each NHS board area and will create up to 100 new jobs across the country.
Social Security Minister Ben Macpherson said: “The service will provide advocacy to anyone who is disabled and requires support to communicate their needs when accessing Scotland’s social security services.
“This assistance will be person-centred and advocates will provide the most appropriate form of support to each individual based on their circumstances.
“This is a new and independent free service, with no equivalent provided by DWP.
“It builds on our human rights-based approach and makes social security more accessible to disabled people in Scotland, ensuring their voices are heard.”
VoiceAbility, a charity with 40 years’ experience delivering advocacy services, has been awarded the contract to provide the service.
They will establish a new base and training centre in Glasgow and create up to 100 jobs over the four years. There will be at least one advocate in each NHS area at launch, with more jobs to be created as disability benefits are introduced.
VoiceAbility CEO Jonathan Senker said: “We are proud to launch this new independent advocacy service and we look forward to establishing a base in Scotland and taking on the staff to deliver it.
“The advocacy we provide will support disabled people to make sure their voices are heard when it matters most and that more people will get the support they’re entitled to.”
Brian Scott of the Glasgow Disability Alliance added: “Our members have highlighted the barriers that many disabled people face in accessing support to find out about the social security benefits they are entitled to – and to apply for them.
“We welcome this free advocacy service as it will ensure disabled people are more involved in the processes and decisions which affect them.
“In making social security more accessible to disabled people, it shows real evidence of a rights-based approach to providing services.”
standards will provide industry with guidance on how to make individual chargepoints more accessible by summer 2022
guidance will consider aspects such as kerb height, adequate space between bollards and chargepoints being of a height suitable for wheelchair users
partnership with British Standards Institute (BSI) and Motability will see chargepoints that are accessible for all as we accelerate towards a zero-emission future
The UK is accelerating towards a more inclusive, reliable electric vehicle (EV) charging network, as the government and charity sector come together to set accessibility standards, Transport Minister Rachel Maclean has announced today (30 June 2021).
In partnership with national disability charity Motability, the Department for Transport (DfT) has commissioned the British Standards Institute (BSI) to develop accessibility standards for EV chargepoints across the country. These standards will provide industry with guidance and drivers with a new clear definition of ‘fully accessible’, ‘partially accessible’ and ‘not accessible’ public EV chargepoints.
The design of public chargepoints is already carefully considered by operators. However, consistent standards are crucial for drivers to easily identify which chargepoints are suitable for their needs. This could range from adequate space between bollards, charging units being of a height suitable for wheelchair users, size of the parking bay and the kerb height.
Transport Minister Rachel Maclean said: “With sales of EVs increasing and the government’s net zero ambitions accelerating, I want to make it as easy as possible for EV drivers to charge up their vehicles at public chargepoints right across the UK, regardless of their mobility.
“We are taking action to provide accessibility guidance to both operators and drivers to make sure that the transition to zero-emission driving will benefit everyone in society as we build back better.”
Minister for Disabled People Justin Tomlinson said: “As we build back greener, this government is ensuring disabled people are at the heart of our plans.
“As electric vehicles become more popular it is imperative that disabled people have the same opportunities to access them as everyone else. The new accessibility standards for chargepoints will help make this a reality.”
The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), Motability and BSI will be working with industry stakeholders including EV chargepoint operators, disability charities and innovators to ensure that the consumer can find the right chargepoints for their needs.
Barry Le Grys MBE, Chief Executive Officer at Motability, said: “There is a risk that disabled people are left behind as the UK’s transition to electric vehicles approaches and Motability wants to ensure that this does not happen.
“We welcome the interest from government in our research on electric vehicle charging and accessibility and we are excited about our partnership with the Office of Zero Emissions Vehicles to further this work.
“We look forward to working together to create world-leading accessibility standards and to support the UK’s commitment to achieving zero emissions. Motability looks forward to a future where electric vehicle charging is inclusive for all.”
Motability is also working with Designability, a charity that creates products to enable disabled people to live with greater independence, to engage with disabled drivers and identify their requirements for accessible charging.
Catharine Brown Chief Executive at Designability said: “Accessible electric vehicle charging is an exciting area of innovation for government, industry and the charity sector. Designability welcomes this important drive towards standards that will make sure the needs of disabled people are taken into account as this new technology becomes mainstream.
“We are delighted to be working with Motability to create cutting-edge design solutions. Our expertise in working with disabled people makes us perfectly placed to find solutions to these everyday challenges – which will only increase as more people want to drive electric cars.
“To date over 1,000 disabled drivers have volunteered to feedback to Motability and Designability on how we can make electric vehicle charging accessible for all.”
Matthew Campbell-Hill, a former Team GB wheelchair athlete and member of the Electric Vehicle Association (EVA) England, said: “As an EV owner and motor vehicle enthusiast who knows how transformative inclusive infrastructure can be, I’m excited to learn of this cross-sector partnership between charity and government.
“I’ve experienced first-hand just how challenging it can be to use a chargepoint that hasn’t been built with disabled people in mind, and this work will ensure electric vehicle charging is accessible for all. I can’t wait to see innovation and change in this space.”
To ensure all interested stakeholders have the opportunity to come together and inform the standards, Motability will be holding a series of workshops on accessibility and electric vehicle charging in August.
If you are a charity working with disabled people or people with long-term health conditions and would like to know more about participating, contact innovation@motability.co.uk.
With the Holyrood Elections next week, 80 disabled people, families and carers came together to grill representatives of the major political parties at an online hustings event on Thursday, April 22nd.
As many as one in five people in Scotland are disabled or have a long-term health condition meaning they are a sizeable portion of the electorate. Despite this, very little time has been given to debating the issues that directly affect disabled people and families as campaigning has gone on.
Last week’s event was organised by a consortium of nine major charities who are trying to rebalance the debate so the voices of disabled people and families are heard and their views considered.
At the hustings disabled people questioned candidates from the five main Scottish political parties on a wide range of issues including social care, the impact of the pandemic, social security, employment as well as rights and access.
The panel was chaired by award-winning freelance journalist and broadcaster Pennie Taylor, who specialises in health and social care issues and covered by STV on Wednesday.
Rob Holland, External Affairs Manager for the National Autistic Society Scotland and one of the organisers of the hustings said: “Around one million people in Scotland have a disability or long-term health condition yet their views are often excluded from the national debate.
“Given the uncertainty about the post-COVID landscape it is more important than ever for political parties to hear from disabled people and families, understand the challenges they face and do something about it.”
The hustings event was organised by ENABLE Scotland, Health and Social Care Scotland (the ALLIANCE), Leonard Cheshire Disability, MS Society Scotland, National Autistic Society Scotland, RNIB Scotland, Scottish Autism, Sense Scotland and Sight Scotland.
QUOTES from disabled people that attended the Hustings:
David Weir, is 30, autistic and from Glasgow. He said: I always vote and encourage other autistic people to vote.
“I feel that many politicians don’t listen – so the more disabled people speaking up the more they will understand the challenges we face and hopefully do something about it.”
Cat Johnson, 34 from Edinburgh, was diagnosed with MS at the age of 21 in 2007. She said: “As someone with MS who has acquired disability rather than being born with one, you see both sides and remember how things were before.
“The way that we view and treat disabled people in society is so far off what is OK and that’s frustrating.
“It’s good to see politicians and their parties engaging at this stage but we need a longer term push for real change to provide better support for disabled people.
“Things like the new Scottish social security system holding on to the 20-metre-rule, which sets a baseless measure for the highest level of mobility support, need to change if we want to build a better, fairer society.”
Kirin Saeed, 52, from Edinburgh is blind. She said: “I as a visually impaired Asian woman believe events like these offer me and others to question the main decision makers, politicians, as well as to create greater awareness in the hope greater change may happen, although we have come a long way there is so much still yet to do.
“COVID19 has shown the importance in investing in the vulnerable of society to benefit all.
“I am a pragmatic optimist and feel the only way we will have greater say is to be at the heart of the legislative process. And having the chance to question and getting a small response is a positive start. It is what happens afterwards that I really look forward towards.”
Representing the main political parties at the event were Jeremy Balfour (Scottish Conservatives), Pam Duncan-Glancy (Scottish Labour), Neil Gray (SNP), Gillian Mackay (Scottish Green Party) and John Waddell (Scottish Liberal Democrats).
New European-wide research by Handiscover indicates that almost two thirds (62%) of disabled people in Scotland say that Hotels in which they have stayed have not met their accessibility needs.
Handiscover, a leading accessibility and disability data organisation, is now calling on the Hotel industry to prepare for a travel restart post-Covid adapted to all travellers, by improving their accessibility or accessibility information, something which is much needed, according to the survey.
Moreover, over half (52%) of those surveyed said that they did not have all accessibility information before they visited.
It’s thought that more than 14 million people in the UK live with a long term illness or disability requiring specific accessibility needs, highlighting the importance of this research for the hotel and hospitality industry.
Handiscover believes that if accessibility, accessibility information and greater training was in place across the travel industry, the EU economy could benefit by up to 25% against current level – that’s almost 196 Billion Euros.
To help businesses, Handiscover has now developed and released an industry leading ‘Accessibility Standard’ for Hotels which it provides free of charge to help hotels start working on their accessibility on their own.
Businesses needing help to improve accessibility can sign up for Handiscover’s Accessibility Management Program. The program includes accessibility data management and assessment, marketing expertise to help communicate accessibility to customers, and Accessibility & Disability Education to help the hotel industry recover in a post COVID world.
Magnus Berglund, Accessibility Director at Handiscover. said: “Improving accessibility in the hotel industry is not just a ‘nice’ thing to do, it is the ‘right’ thing to do and can generate huge increases in revenue for properties!
“The Handiscover Accessibility Management Program exists to help hotels, and other businesses, work with and improve accessibility in an easy way to the benefit of the day-to-day lives of millions of people who live with a disability.”
Sebastien Archambeaud CEO Handiscover added: “Ever since we launched Handiscover, our aim has simply been to use accessibility data to make booking accommodation easier for those with disabilities.
“We now want to take the knowledge and experience we have working with those with accessibility needs and help hotels and accommodation providers improve accessibility and knowledge.
“We want to let businesses know that improving accessibility is not a cost burden, but a means to actually improve business by catering to more customers”.
The research from Handiscover.com also revealed that 58% of the disabled population who required assistance say that staff at Hotels were not as knowledgeable about accessibility needs as they could have been – thus demonstrating the importance of accessibility training and education among staff, not just at hotels, but across industries.
Action plan willtackle inequality and advance disabled people’s human rights
A disability action plan – containing more than fifty commitments to ensure Scotland leads the way on the rights of disabled people – has been launched.
The delivery plan for 2016-2020 has been drafted in consultation with disabled people and will help Scotland meet the requirements of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
Launching the extensive plan at a meeting of the Equality and Human Rights Commission in Glasgow yesterday, Communities Minister Marco Biagi said:
“This Government is committed to equality and we want to make sure that disabled people enjoy the same human rights as non-disabled people. Over the last few years we have made good progress but there is still a long way to go and with more than 50 commitments ranging from education and health to transport we are confident that this plan will go a long way in making life for disabled people in Scotland fairer.
“At a time when the UK Government is undermining the human rights of disabled people with its programme of austerity and welfare cuts, we are committed to furthering their rights and engaging a wider section of the population in the debate. We firmly believe that disabled people’s rights are human rights, and that human rights must apply to everyone.
“I would encourage everyone to consider our draft delivery plan carefully and respond to the consultation document so that together we can make this the strongest plan of action for disabled people across these islands.
“We want to work with disabled people over the months and years ahead, to remove disabling barriers and enable them to enjoy equal access to full citizenship, so that they can maximise their potential and add to the success and prosperity of our country.
Welcoming the Scottish Government’s plan, Dr Jim Elder-Woodward OBE, Independent Chair of the Scottish Independent Living Coalition said:
“This is a good starting point towards building a Fairer Scotland for all disabled people. There is a great deal more to do, by Government and by others, to ensure that we enjoy the same rights to full and equal citizenship that other people take for granted. As disabled people we know best the changes needed to remove the disabling barriers we experience.
“We welcome these draft commitments and urge disabled people to seize this opportunity to have their say and to share with the Scottish Government what needs to happen to make the rights we have on paper the reality we experience every day.”
COSLA have also launched a local government disability plan alongside the Scottish Government’s plan and their spokesperson for Health and Wellbeing.
Councillor Peter Johnston, said: “Local Government is committed to improving outcomes for disabled people in Scotland. We have an important role to play in enabling disabled people to participate fully in daily and public life, as equal citizens. The breadth of our responsibilities also means that we are in a unique position to further meet the rights of disabled people in a variety of ways.
“We have actively worked with the Scottish Government and the third sector disabled people’s organisations to develop the ‘UNCRPD – The Local Government Delivery Plan’ through partnership and consensus and for this to complement the Scottish Government’s National Delivery Plan. I am delighted that it is being published today and hope that it is warmly welcomed by disabled people.”
Independent Living in Scotland (ILiS) has produced a resource pack for disabled people, their organisations and others to help them respond to the consultations.
