Disability Charities Consortium (DCC) shared positioning for the UK general election in May 2015
- More than 12million people in the UK - and 16% of the working age population - live with a disability or long-term health condition.1 The numbers of disabled people are growing as medical technology improves and people live longer.
- In 2012 1 in 6 people were aged over 65. By 2050 this will increase to 1 in 4 people,2 43% of whom will have a disability or limiting long-term health condition.3
- Disability and ill health are a natural part of life, they could affect anyone at any time, and almost every extended family contains a disabled person.
The rising numbers of people affected by disability, either directly or indirectly, mean that disability cannot be considered to be a marginal or small scale issue. Yet, every day, we squander the potential of disabled people and their families. Physical and attitudinal obstacles, low expectations, negative assumptions and a lack of flexibility result in people being written off as dependent and costly, a drain on society, rather than a valuable and, as yet, untapped asset.
Disabled people, given the opportunities, have a huge amount to contribute. We want to drive the change that enables disabled people to fulfil this potential.
You can view the full document here.
About us
The Disability Charities Consortium is made up of eight of the largest disability charities in the UK. Together we advocate with, and on behalf of, disabled people of all impairments and ages. We want to change attitudes and improve people’s lives and opportunities so society no longer overlooks the potential of disabled people and their families. We provide focus and leadership on three key priorities to drive positive change in policy, practice and public opinion.
