Office For Disability Issues – First Annual Report To The Prime Minister
By News England

The Government’s Office for Disability Issues (ODI) has published its first Annual Report to the Prime Minister, detailing the progress that is being made towards realising the Government’s ambitious vision for real equality for disabled people by 2025.

Welcoming the report, the Prime Minister said:
“For too long, disabled people have been marginalised in our society. They have found themselves denied the chance to exercise choice and control over their lives and, too often, been excluded from the workplace.

“The Government is determined to put that right. That’s why I welcome this first report of the Office for Disability Issues, which shows the progress being made in removing the barriers to a more equal society in which all can play their full part.”

Minister for Disabled People, Anne McGuire added:
“Today’s report clearly sets out the action we are taking to address the discrimination and disadvantage that disabled people experience. “For example, an increasing number of disabled people now receive support through Individual Budgets, which allow much more control over the support they receive.

“Three sites in Oldham, Essex & West Sussex are already testing this new way of working, and another ten sites are due to begin pilots this month.”

The ODI is also in the process of setting up a new advisory body – Equality 2025: the United Kingdom Advisory Network on Disability Equality – which will be launched later this year. This will give disabled people a voice right at the heart of Government, allowing them to influence the strategies, policies and services that affect their lives.

The ODI has also been taking forward work in a number of other areas, including delivering a campaign aimed at small businesses to improve their awareness of the Disability Discrimination Act.

It is also working with the Disability Rights Commission to ensure the effective implementation across central Government of the new Disability Equality Duty, which comes into force this December.