What do Business Disability Forum’s members need from a future Government?

At Business Disability Forum (BDF) we have been considering everything our Members and Partners, and disabled people working with them, will need from a future Government to expand disability inclusion even further, in their own organisations as well as in society.

We have identified the 5 key strategies from a future Government to allow this to happen. These strategies form BDF’s ‘Manifesto for a disability inclusive UK’. Here we describe what those strategies are and why they are important.

• A UK wide Disability, Health, and Employment Strategy – which will ensure every disabled child has an inclusive and accessible primary and secondary education to prepare for their career; workplace adjustment should also be ‘at the centre’ of any new employment policy the Government publishes; the Access to Work Scheme must be invested in and available to anyone in any type of work and working in any sector; sick pay reform to be developed alongside reforming the fit note; and implement a fit for purpose disability and employment data strategy.
• A ‘Technology for Life’ model to ensure every single person in the UK who needs assistive technology to live, learn, work, spend money, and socialise has access to a meaningful ATech assessment which then leads to the provision of the technology. We have written more in our Tech for Life concept, developed with ATech and IT developers, employers and assistive tech users working in our Member and Partner organisations.
• A standard and commitment to clear, accessible and inclusive communications that product and customer service providers and Government are required to meet. This would ensure access to important consumer information when accessing products and services and digitised customer services, to Government and broadcasters delivering news and urgent emergency announcements.
• Investment in the wider support and infrastructure that is critical in supporting employment and broader inclusion goals. This includes a long-term strategy for integrated health and social care, support for carers, and an accessible nationwide public transport system.
• An inclusive procurement standard for all contracts used by the public – which would ensure that everything procured by public money can be used by every member of the public, from the delivery of core public services to the development of consumer products and tech and AI development.

Ultimately though, BDF doesn’t believe making the UK better for disabled people is doable by Government alone. This is why BDF exists: to bring together businesses and organisations who believe in the same inclusive change as we do, to work with us and disabled people to create meaningful and lasting change for everyone.

Read our full manifesto for a disability inclusive UK.