UK Disability History Month 2024

UK Disability History Month, created in 2010, is an annual event that has historically taken place on 22nd November to 22nd December, however this year it will run from 14th November to 20th December. Its core purpose is to advocate equality for disabled people by providing a platform to highlight the historical struggles for equality, reflect on the current environment of disability rights, and what action still needs to be taken to achieve this.

Historical context

Disabled people have experienced a long history of being ostracised, marginalised and dismissed. There have been many significant historical events and milestones that have shaped the landscape of disability rights and advocacy within the UK, but the most progress has happened within the past 60 years. The most notable moments include:

Disability Discrimination Act – 1995

In 1995, protests by the disability community and allies led to the groundbreaking establishment of the Disability Discrimination Act.

The Equality Act – 2010

Introduced in 2010, The Equality Act legally protects people from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society.

Despite the consistent barriers, there are thousands of empowered disabled individuals and activists showcasing their resilience, creativity, and determination in overcoming obstacles and making significant contributions to society. Shaw Trust created the Disability Power 100 to recognise influential leaders in their field.

Baroness Jane Campbell

Jane Campbell is a well-known British disability rights activist (Co-founder of the National Centre for Independent Living and a commissioner on the Disability Rights Commission) and has actively focused on the social care field as well as being a campaigner for disability reforms.

Dr. Amo Raju

Dr. Amo Raju is one of the longest serving CEO’s of a user-led Disabled people’s organisation in the UK, Derby-based, Disability Direct. Since 1997 he has generated over £25m in grants, contracts and chargeable services, making a huge impact within the local area and beyond. 

Shani Dhanda

Undeniably one of the UK’s highest-profile and most influential disability activists, Shani Dhanda works with UK government, broadcasters and global companies to integrate inclusion and accessibility within their structures.

Themes for 2024

Each year, UK Disability History Month has a dedicated theme to shape the conversation, and this year’s focus for Disability History Month 2024 is ‘Disability, Livelihood and Employment’. 

For too long, disability has been seen as synonymous with unemployment, which of course is not true. The disability community have always sought methods to survive, but barriers to employment through accessibility restrictions and discrimination, means this continues to be an ongoing issue today. This is evident through the disability employment gap, in Q2 2023 the disability employment rate was 53.6% compared to 82.5% for non-disabled people.

Current challenges

The disability employment gap highlighted in this year’s Disability History UK theme, exposes that there are still barriers faced by the disability community when looking for employment.

Inclusive employers

A core issue when looking at inclusive employment is the number of inclusive employers within the UK. Unfortunately due to a lack of legislation, awareness and implementation, many employers are either discriminatory or do not meet accessibility requirements.

Accessible commutes

Another challenge when seeking out employment is the commute; Are there accessible public transport routes? Can they access and drive a car for regular travel? Are there work from home opportunities? Luckily, companies such as Mobility in Motion are tackling the car travel issue by manufacturing and supplying car adaptations that enable you to make your car accessible to your needs. Whether that means adapting how you drive, getting seated in your car or even storing a mobility device within the car, vehicle adaptations ensure you have permanent access to a car for a reliable commute.

Equal educational opportunities

The lack of equal educational opportunities also contributes towards the disability employment gap. How can someone who has received less education and training be as qualified as other candidates when applying for jobs? This should not be the case.

Promoting awareness and education

It’s imperative to continue to raise awareness and promote education about disability rights. Whether through advocacy, making spaces more accessible (including digital) or simply listening to disabled voices, you can take action to support the disability community. You can also research specific initiatives or campaigns to take part in that advocate and foster inclusivity. 

Check out UKDHM’s website where they’ll be listing events that you can participate in to learn more and show support. We also recommend taking a look at Inclusive Employer as they host a number of webinars throughout the year to educate and promote inclusivity and accessibility in the workplace. You can view their upcoming events on their diversity calendar.

Looking to the future

While some progress has been made with the implementation of some Government Schemes such as Access To Work, there is still so much more that needs to be done to fully achieve an equal workforce. 

Not only is the emphasis on Government legislation and employers to increase accessibility and remove ableist biases, the importance of accessible commutes and work from home opportunities also need to be addressed as well as equal education opportunities to ensure disabled people are on an even playing field when applying for jobs. With continued advocacy, we can create a more equitable and accessible society for all. 

At Mobility in Motion, we are committed to making car travel accessible to all through our wide range of vehicle adaptations. So you can enjoy all the benefits of owning a car, whether it be for reliable commutes, popping to the shops, taking road trips with loved ones and everything in between! Get in touch with our team to find out how we could help you. 

We also have a blog exploring the importance of UK Disability Pride Month which promotes celebrating your journey and achievements.