‘Life is unfair as a disabled person – what needs to change to make it more equal’
‘We’re a diverse, proud, and vibrant community, but life is outrageously unequal for disabled people.’
Scope -the leading equality disability charity has launched a new advert to try and highlight how life for disabled people is still unequal – despite 70 years of campaigning to try and get more rights for those who don’t have the same access as everyone else.
Research from the charity – which campaigns to transform attitudes to disability, tackle injustice and inspire action – shows that three out of four disabled people have experienced negative attitudes or behaviour towards them in the last five years, while 87% said these impacted their daily lives.
This is something that just last month was highlighted in the national press, when Olympic gold-medal winner, Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson said she was forced to ‘crawl off a train’ because there was no one there to meet her at the platform.
The 11–time champion’s incident highlights that despite the feeling that life is becoming more equal for those with a disability, there are still stark daily reminders that it simply isn’t, the charity said.
Alison Kerry, head of communications at Scope said Dame Tanni’s shocking incident was a ‘sad reminder’ that ‘far too often disabled people get treated like second-class citizens, and it shows ‘how much further we need to go.’
Earlier this year the charity launched a ‘manifesto for an equal future’ calling on the new Labour government to commit to creating more equal rights for disabled people.
The manifesto outlines how Scope wants the government to tackle the extra costs of disability, to transform attitudes to disability and to ensure that disabled people who want to work can do so – in turn attempting to fix the broken benefits system.
But these day-to-day incidents highlight just how far we still have to go, the charity has said, and a new advert shows some of the issues faced every day- that many of us may not think about.
The clip looks at the physical barriers, those that aren’t always so clear, and the impacts of these on disabled people’s lives.
While following disabled people as they go about their day, the advert shows how despite it being a view that life is equal for those who are disabled – it certainly isn’t.
It reflects on negative attitudes such as staring and the judgement of others, and challenges such as broken lifts and abandoned hire bikes.
Data from the government’s latest survey published two weeks ago shows in 2022, disabled adults aged 16 and over made 25% fewer trips than non-disabled adults: They made 686 trips on average per year, compared with 916 trips for non-disabled adults – many of which have cited that accessibility is why they don’t travel as much.
‘It’s time for us to all take notice. It’s time for recognition and change. It’s time to create an equal future with disabled people.’
It also showed poverty rates are 4% higher among families where at least one member is disabled – supporting Scope’s ‘disability price tag report’, published earlier this year.
The research data showed on average, disabled households need an additional £1,010 a month to have the same standard of living as non-disabled households, and that on average, the extra cost of disability is equivalent to 67% of household income after housing costs.
Kwesi Afful, director of digital and marketing at Scope, said: ‘These startling figures show life is still unequal for the UK’s 16 million disabled people. ‘Life costs a lot more when you’re disabled. It’s much tougher to get into and stay in work, and you’re much more likely to experience loneliness and anxiety.
‘Enough is enough. The time has come for change.
‘We want a future where disabled people have the same rights and opportunities as everyone. Where barriers are removed. Attitudes are transformed.’
The new advert features disabled actors and influencers, including Alex Robson, 31, who has cerebral palsy and is a full-time wheelchair user. Alex said three years ago he signed up to be a model for a joke – but it has since changed his life.
In 2021 he said ‘why would I get a modelling job with this face’ – his dark sense of humour shining through – but flash forward to 2024 and now that face has been seen by millions of people across the UK and he is a massive advocate for disability.
Alex said the video, set to the Chemical Brothers’ dancefloor classic,’ Galvanise’, is important because it shows the difficulties he faces day-to-day and that it is the ‘story of his life.’
Defining disability
Taken from the Governments UK disability statistics: Prevalence and life experiences
Estimates of the number of disabled people in the UK can vary depending on
definitions, context and source of information.
This includes estimates derived from surveys, which are often highly dependent on the methodology used.
To ensure consistency, most official statistics now use a definition of disability
that is consistent with the Government Statistical Service’s harmonised
definition.
This is designed to reflect the core definition of disability that
appears in legal terms in the Equality Act 2010, and the definition in the
Disability Discrimination Act 1995, which applies in Northern Ireland.
To measure disability based on this definition, survey respondents are asked
whether they have a physical or mental health condition or illness that has
lasted or is expected to last 12 months or more, and whether the condition
and/or illness reduces their ability to carry out day-to-day activities.
A person who answers yes to both questions is considered disabled.
This harmonised measure does not capture everyone who is legally disabled
under the Equality Act, for example, people with a long-standing illness or
a condition that is not currently affecting their day-to-day activities.
He told Metro: ‘I feel the video is very important because it captures and highlights some of the barriers and stereotypes that most disabled people face daily.
‘I feel this is the story of my life, I can try and plan as much as possible, but some things just don’t go according to plan. ‘Whether it be a lift out of order, a set of stairs or no ramps available.
‘It’s very frustrating especially when you’ve planned a day out and you can’t use something that you require and need as part of your journey, so therefore you either have to be given an alternative route which can take a lot longer or simply go home!
‘The stress that this causes, all because I can’t complete my journey.
‘This also sparks a determination to overcome these barriers and find better ways, an out-of-order lift won’t defeat me!’
He said to make life feel more equal, we all must normalise disability and ‘stop calling it a condition or something you live with (like a pet).’
‘I do not take offence in someone asking me about my disability, if they genuinely don’t know, I would rather educate them, than for them to assume wrongly.
He added: ‘People should not be afraid to ask questions, because that’s how we gain knowledge and understanding of the variety of disabilities of the people around the world.
‘This is a subject that doesn’t get talked about enough and it should be, whether you’re a young child or a grandparent people need to be educated.
An equal future requires ‘acceptance, patience and a positive attitude to change’, Alex said.
He added: ‘For people to make change there needs to be more engaging campaigns like Scope is showing to the world.
‘I also strongly believe that disabled people ‘myself included ‘need to take some responsibility in educating everyday people about our own disability and not being afraid to use our voice.
‘An equal future would be everyone being involved, nobody being left behind, but most importantly the person being able to do whatever they desire no matter who they are.’
Em Prendergast, a deaf actor who graduated in 2018 from the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, starred alongside Alex in the advert.
Em’s theatre work includes a mixture of Spoken English, SSE (Sign Supported English) and BSL (British Sign Language) and they played Athena in the National Theatre’s retelling of Homer’s classic ‘The Odyssey.’
The BBC actor who was also a journalist in Eastenders said the video was important because it highlights ‘disabled joy’ and that it ‘isn’t always seen or celebrated.’
They added: ‘Many people have a stigmatised and narrow-minded view of what disability looks like.
‘This video challenges those misconceptions by portraying that we are here and thriving. It further reinforces that disability isn’t confined to a single appearance or experience.
‘It’s a needed reminder that we don’t have to look a certain way to be disabled and that our existence is full of richness and joy.
What does an equal future look like?
Speaking about what an equal future would look like, Em said: ‘An equal future, to me, looks like a society rooted in the social model of disability—where access isn’t an afterthought but central to how we design our everyday spaces and systems.
‘It’s a future where disabled individuals are given platforms to share their expertise and insights, playing active roles in shaping policies and practices.
‘For example, it’s critical that we focus on equal rights for immunocompromised individuals, ensuring they aren’t an afterthought in the wider discussion about disabilities or forced into continued isolation.
‘To make this future a reality, everyone must advocate for universal access and recognise that accessibility benefits everyone, not just disabled people.
‘This means amplifying disabled voices, demanding inclusive policies, and ensuring that disability rights are embedded in every conversation about equity.
Em said that for an equal future, the focus must be on ‘equity, liberation and reformation.’
They added: ‘True equity is recognising that everyone is starting from different places and will need different and specific support and resources to achieve the same goal.’
‘This involves creating systems that truly include and uplift disabled people, where our experiences are normalised and celebrated.
‘It is also recognising the commitment to building a truly equitable future is not a one-time fix. It is an ongoing process of adapting and reflecting on how to improve the way we shape spaces and policies for everyone.’
What do we need to do to secure an equal future?
Earlier this year Scope made a change to alter its brand identity – to better reflect how its work could result in meaningful change for the lives of disabled people and their families.
It said public attitudes and stigmatisation, discrimination at work and equal access to opportunity are among the many problems disabled people in the UK face. Combined with the pandemic and a cost of living crisis, Scope believes disabled people feel more forgotten than ever by society.
The new Scope brand idea, ‘truths and lives amplified’, places voices from the community at the heart of the revised identity – and in the next 12 months it aims to try to further the cause to make a more equal future for all disabled people.
Kwesi, who was behind the launch of the charity’s new identity change told Metro: ‘There are 16 million disabled people in the UK.
‘We’re a diverse, proud, and vibrant community, but life is outrageously unequal for disabled people.
‘We won’t let this be ignored. Through this film, we’re saying to the world: Don’t hold back from calling out injustice, from being an ally, from joining the movement for change.
‘It’s time for us to all take notice. It’s time for recognition and change. It’s time to create an equal future with disabled people.’
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