Welsh Government unveils 10-year plan to strengthen rights of disabled people

The Disabled People’s Rights Plan outlines a 10-year commitment to ensuring disabled people can enjoy “equitable rights, inclusion and participation”, and has been “strengthened” to include new focus areas such as parents and unpaid carers, digital inclusion and climate change, the Welsh Government announced.

Oversight of the plan will be provided by the Welsh Government’s Disability Disparity Evidence Unit, while a new External Advisory Board, led by disabled people, will offer independent advice and guidance on implementation.

Looking at the independent living options of disabled people, the plan notes that the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 Code of Practice Part 2 lays out the need for local authorities to “promote well-being and protect individuals”.

It says: “Local Authorities provide a variety of preventative services, offer information on community well-being services, and give advice on direct payments and care charges. This helps people plan for their future care needs. Additionally, authorities ensure practitioners and individuals collaborate as equal partners to plan and deliver care and support.”

Meanwhile, the plan observes that as part of local authorities’ ‘play sufficiency duties’, there is a requirement to assess the sufficiency of play opportunities that are “inclusive and accessible” and that encourage all children to play and meet together if they wish to.

It notes that local authorities therefore have the “flexibility” to purchase large scale items to improve the quality of play spaces, refurbish playgrounds and support in creating inclusive and accessible play spaces.

The plan says: “The duties recognise that children and adults with impairments are disabled by barriers that commonly exist in society. These barriers include negative attitudes as well as physical and organisational barriers, which can prevent children from taking part in the range of play opportunities in their area.”

The Welsh Government further announced that it will highlight support available to disabled people through its ‘Claim What’s Yours campaign’ in January, including a £100 cost-of-living payment for those on the Council Tax Disabled Band Reduction Scheme who also receive Council Tax Reduction.

Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Jane Hutt, said: “We are committed to ensuring that disabled people can participate in Welsh society on an equitable basis, free from barriers, and to creating an inclusive and accessible environment for all. This 10-year plan represents our commitment to true inclusion and participation.

“I thank the Disability Rights Taskforce and everyone who contributed to the consultation, ensuring the plan is grounded in lived experience. We must now all work together to make sure the plan succeeds and that the values of accessibility, inclusion, and co-production are central in all that we do.”

Co-chair of the Disability Rights Taskforce, Professor Debbie Foster, said: “This Plan is the culmination of five years' work. It began in 2020 with the groundbreaking 'Locked-Out' report, which I authored and co-produced with disabled people during the pandemic. Its hard-hitting recommendations prompted the Welsh Government to respond by establishing a Disability Rights Taskforce. This novel initiative put disabled people's voices and lived experience at the centre of the policy debate. 

“As Taskforce co-chair, nominated by disabled people, I am extremely proud of what we collectively achieved and thank everyone who participated. The Plan takes this foundational work forward over the next 10 years and I look forward to continuing to play a part in this.  What disabled people in Wales now need is a public cross-party declaration of their commitment to this Plan and the resources needed to implement it.”

The publication of the plan comes after the Equality and Human Rights Commission earlier this month urged the Welsh Government to take “further steps” in a number of areas, including improving disabled people’s access to health services and publishing its revised Disabled People’s Rights Plan.

Lottie Winson