National Disability Strategy

Women and Equalities Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 26 May 2022 Closed: 30 May 2024 Parliament page
A Women and Equalities Committee inquiry to scrutinise the implementation and further development of the Government’s National Disability Strategy , which was published in July 2021. Accessibility of products and services to disabled people Read the full report (HTML) Read the EasyRead report on accessibility (PDF 1374KB) Read the large … Read more
21 Recommendations
13 Conclusions
6 Reports
5 Oral sessions
5 Letters
5 Events
Activity timeline 24 events
29 May
2024
Report published
28 May
2024
Report published
21 May
2024
Report published
21 May
2024
Report published
19 Mar
2024
Report published
19 Mar
2024
Report published
6 Mar
2024
Report published
24 Jan
2024
Correspondence
6 Dec
2023
Report published
6 Dec
2023
Report published
6 Sep
2023
Correspondence
18 Jul
2023
Correspondence
Oral evidence sessions 5 sessions
5 Jul 2023
View on parliament.uk
Women and Equalities Committee
David Nuttall · Department of Health and Social Care Jennifer Heigham · Department for Work and Pensions Marcus Bell · Cabinet Office Maria Caulfield MP · Government Equalities Office Tom Pursglove MP · Department for Work and Pensions
17 May 2023
View on parliament.uk
Women and Equalities Committee
Angela Matthews · Business Disability Forum Eric Harris · Research Institute for Disabled Consumers Tammy Jones · Purple Vivienne Francis · The Royal Institute of Blind People
26 Apr 2023
View on parliament.uk
Women and Equalities Committee
Ciara Lawrence · The Royal Mencap Society George Appleton · Care England Jackie O'Sullivan · The Royal Mencap Society Jim Blair Maya Stretton · National Autistic Society Tim Nicholls · National Autistic Society
29 Mar 2023
View on parliament.uk
Women and Equalities Committee
Fazilet Hadi · Disability Rights UK Fran Springfield · Chronic Illness Inclusion Lord Shinkwin · The Centre for Social Justice Disability Commission Martin McLean · National Deaf Children’s Society Nil Guzelgun · MIND Svetlana Kotova · Inclusion London
22 Feb 2023
View on parliament.uk
Women and Equalities Committee
Recommendations & Conclusions
9 results
Clear
4 Recommendation Accepted
First Report - The National Disabi…
Improve government engagement with disabled groups, listening and acting on their input.
Disabled people and groups continue to feel excluded from having meaningful input into policies directly affecting them. This suggests the Government has not learnt lessons from the concerns raised over the development of the National Disability Strategy and that its … Read more
Government Response
The government states that its existing stakeholder engagement framework, which includes regular meetings with disabled people's organizations, regional networks, and charities, already ensures meaningful input from the disability sector, effectively addressing the recommendation.
Government Equalities Office
View details
5 Recommendation Accepted
First Report - The National Disabi…
Establish a national advisory group to review and advise on disability policy.
The Government should immediately establish a national advisory group bringing together the DPO Forum England and the chairs of Regional Stakeholder Networks. The advisory group’s remit should include reviewing all government policy proposals targeted towards people with disabilities; advising ministers … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects the recommendation to establish a new national advisory group, stating that its existing stakeholder engagement framework, which includes regular meetings with DPO Forum England and Regional Stakeholder Network chairs, already effectively replicates the proposed group's remit.
Government Equalities Office
View details
6 Recommendation Accepted
First Report - The National Disabi…
Provide specific details on improving the disability evidence base and lived experiences.
The Disability Unit, in its response to this Report, should provide specific details on the steps it is taking to improve the evidence base on disability, including on disabled people’s lived experiences and the intersection with other protected characteristics. (Paragraph … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation and details specific steps the Disability Unit is taking to improve the evidence base on disability, including conducting research, collaborating with other departments to improve data quality, and building a case for a new national disability survey.
Government Equalities Office
View details
8 Recommendation Accepted
First Report - The National Disabi…
Update Parliament and stakeholders on National Disability Strategy outstanding action timescales.
The Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work should immediately update Parliament and disability stakeholders with specific timescales for delivery on all outstanding actions in the National Disability Strategy. (Paragraph 39) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Read more
Government Response
The government states that the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work already provided a full update to Parliament on 18 September 2023 regarding progress on the Strategy and outstanding commitments, and will publish further updates.
Government Equalities Office
View details
2 Conclusion Accepted
Fourth Report - Accessibility of p…
Businesses neglect inclusive design for disabled consumers, limiting market access
Not all businesses are considering the needs of disabled consumers when bringing products and services to the market. Where accessibility is considered, it is often done so retrospectively, as something to be bolted on to an existing design. Products and … Read more
Government Response
The government responds by detailing the existing Disability Access Ambassadors (DAA) programme, outlining how senior business leaders identify and encourage improvements in accessibility and quality of products and services in their sectors. It provides numerous examples of DAA initiatives, reports, and guides already in progress.
Government Equalities Office
View details
3 Recommendation Accepted
Fourth Report - Accessibility of p…
Task Disability and Access Ambassadors to engage businesses on inclusive design best practice
The Government should task the Disability and Access Ambassadors with engaging with businesses on inclusive design, to seek out and share best practice and to identify the barriers to making products and services in their sectors accessible to disabled people. … Read more
Government Response
The government explains that Disability Access Ambassadors (DAAs) are senior business leaders who already identify accessibility barriers and encourage improvements in their sectors. It details how DAAs meet regularly with ministers and work with other government departments, providing various examples of their existing initiatives, reports, and guides.
Government Equalities Office
View details
4 Recommendation Accepted
Fourth Report - Accessibility of p…
Establish Extra Costs Taskforce by summer 2024 to understand disabled people's daily expenses
Disabled people face additional costs in their daily lives. These costs are exacerbated by restrictions on their choice as consumers. We support the Government’s commitment in the National Disability Strategy to establish an Extra Costs Taskforce to better understand the … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation and states it will set up the Extra Costs Taskforce. The Disability Unit will bring together disabled people, regulators, and businesses to examine the additional costs faced by disabled individuals.
Government Equalities Office
View details
7 Conclusion Accepted
Fourth Report - Accessibility of p…
Inconsistent accessibility for disabled customers across banking services and ATMs
Several banks and financial providers have innovated to make their services accessible to blind and partially sighted customers, such as issuing debit and credit cards with tactile indicators. However, this is not standard practice across the banking sector as providers … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the need for accessible banking services, referring to existing legal requirements for banks to make reasonable adjustments. It details ongoing industry efforts and collaborations, such as tactile payment cards, talking ATMs, and guides for electronic point-of-sale devices, indicating these measures are already in place.
Government Equalities Office
View details
8 Recommendation Accepted
Fourth Report - Accessibility of p…
Mandate banks to adopt inclusive design for cards and ATMs, ensuring full accessibility
The Financial Conduct Authority should work with the retail banking sector and organisations such as the RNIB to ensure all banks embrace inclusive design from the outset when innovating or phasing out existing services. We recommend that all banks: • … Read more
Government Response
The government states that banking services must be accessible and highlights existing legal requirements for reasonable adjustments. It details ongoing work by the financial services industry with RNIB, including features like dot/notch on cards and talking ATMs, but does not commit to the specific new actions recommended for inclusive design or card roll-out.
Government Equalities Office
View details
Government Response AI assessment · 20 of 21 classified
Accepted 9
Accepted in Part 2
Acknowledged 3
Deferred 1
Not Addressed 1
Rejected 4
Total 21 recs + 13 conclusions
Correspondence 5 letters
24 Jan 2024 Correspondence from the Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education, relating to Disabled Students Allowance, dated 15 January 2024
Parliament page
6 Sep 2023 To committee Letter from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Health relating to the National Disability Strategy
Parliament page
18 Jul 2023 To committee Letter from the Minister of State for Disabled People, Health and Work on the National Disability Strategy
Parliament page
18 Jul 2023 To committee Letter from the Minister of State for Disabled People, Health and Work on the National Disability Strategy
Parliament page
19 Oct 2022 Correspondence from the then Secretary of State for Work and Pensions relating to submission of evidence to the Committee’s National Disability Strategy inquiry
Parliament page