The High Court declared yesterday that the Government’s National Disability Strategy is unlawful due to inadequate consultation with disabled people.
Disability activists Miriam Binder, Jean Eveleigh, Doug Paulley and Vicki Hon brought the case against the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Therese Coffey, arguing that the Secretary of State had chosen to consult with Disabled people through the UK Disability Survey which was launched in January 2021, but that she had failed to provide sufficient information on the proposed Strategy to allow for a meaningful response.
Disability Rights UK CEO Kamran Mallick said:
“We have a phrase in the disability community: ‘nothing about us without us’. I pay tribute to the Disabled people who fought for justice and gained this landmark ruling.
“A Disability Strategy formulated without deep listening to the voices of Disabled people is doomed to failure. The Government must now go back and do what it should have done the first time round: dedicate time and resources to enable Disabled people to speak freely and fully on our lived experience, demonstrate we have been fully heard, and share draft Strategy proposals with us for discussion and comment.”
Read about the judgement and Disability Rights UK’s comment here.
