Disabled people’s organisations say Scotland’s new Disability Equality Plan marks a “step in the right direction”, but must be followed by action to address deepening poverty, discrimination and exclusion.

The Scottish government commits in the plan to improve mental health support tailored to disabled people’s needs, improve digital inclusion, invest in advice and support services, and put lived experience at the heart of decision-making.

It comes a year after disabled people’s organisations withdrew their support for a draft version of the plan and paused the working group established to coproduce it, amidst concerns around a lack of progress and a weak set of proposals.

Leaders of three disabled people’s organisations involved in a short life working group have now cautiously welcomed the plan.

Inclusion Scotland, Glasgow Disability Alliance and Disability Equality Scotland say the new version of the plan, now backed by an additional £2m, is the result of “tireless campaigning”.

The Scottish government has also committed an additional £2.5m to support disabled people’s local, regional and national organisations.  

Glasgow Disability Alliance CEO Tressa Burke said she is pleased the government responded positively to the ‘Disabled People Demand Justice’ campaign last year, adding:

“This funding from the Scottish government is a win for the collective action of disabled people and our allies.

“But it is a small step, when we need big leaps; poverty and inequality experienced by disabled people remain at unacceptable levels.

“We need both the Scottish government and the UK government to urgently invest in disabled peoples’ lives to deliver dignity and justice.” 

Inclusion Scotland CEO Heather Fisken said the plan and its actions will only be successful if it is properly resourced and there is accountability throughout its delivery, adding:

“We want this accountability to be led by disabled peoples’ organisations and disabled people themselves – genuine partnership between our organisations and the Scottish government requires honesty and scrutiny, and that will be our focus going forward.”

Actions in the plan will look to build understanding of the needs of disabled people among the Scottish government workforce, to ensure their views are considered at every level of decision making.

Disabled people will also be given a platform to speak directly to ministers about what matters to them, in an annual ‘Cabinet Takeover’.

Recognising the increased barriers to accessing healthcare for disabled people and the links to poor mental health, the government plan also commits to establishing a dedicated programme of work in this area.

The Mental Health and Capacity Reform Programme will look to embed human rights across mental health services and strengthen the legislative framework to protect these rights.

Disability Equality Scotland CEO Lyn Pornaro said campaigning to ensure both the Scottish and UK government deliver dignity, security, and human rights for disabled people must not end here:

“This shows the power of disabled peoples’ campaigning, and is a step in the right direction, but our campaigning work to deliver justice for disabled people will continue. 

“That requires investing in our communities and including services – not cutting the support we rely on.”

Announcing the plan, Scotland’s equalities minister Kaukab Stewart MSP said disabled people face “unprecedented hardship, deepening poverty and increasing social isolation”.

She said Scotland will take a different path from the UK government, which recently announced fewer people will be eligible for disability benefits:

“I am firmly opposed to the UK government’s proposed reforms to social security and deeply concerned about the effects they will have on disabled people, people with long-term health conditions and unpaid carers.

“We will not mirror these changes. Our approach is rooted in dignity, fairness and respect – not austerity – and the UK government should follow our lead and protect the social security safety system, rather than dismantling it.

“The increased funding for the plan will build on our human rights-based approach to strengthen vital support and services for disabled people.

“We are committed to working with disabled people and their organisations, upholding the principle of ‘nothing about us, without us’. I am confident that Scotland can become a country where disabled people truly thrive.”

Read more: Scotland misses targets on disability health checks; New taskforce to drive ADHD and autism improvements; Mental health charity to close service; Charting Scotland’s future health and hospital demand; Government announces more support for disabled kids; UN told rights of disabled people in ‘crisis’; Chief Medic: ‘Critical connections’ priority; Government to merge two national NHS boards; Providers: children’s service cuts ‘devastating’ 

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