Next Steps for the Campaign

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• Next Steps for the Campaign

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The emerging reality
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• This is a pincer attack on the rights of disabled
  people. If we just focus on the 1.5 million
  people with the most significant disabilities -
  over the next four years they are likely to lose
• 4.6 billion in social care support
• 4 billion in disability living allowance
• Termination of ILF
• Cuts to Supporting People
• Many further cuts in housing support
• Reductions to other benefits - especially for
  those not in work
• So, more than 8 billion of the total 27 billion
  (gtgt25) which government is saving from
  departmental budgets is being born by less than
  3 of the population - those who are least able
  to bear these cuts.

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And many other cuts will continue to fall on

• People with less severe, but still significant,
  disabilities
• People with mental health problems
• Women suffering domestic violence
• People not in work
• Refugees and asylum seekers

and we are already the most centralised welfare
state - and the 3rd most unequal society after
USA and Portugal
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An economic crisis caused by the bursting of a
bubble created by...

• Bankers who benefited from bonuses
• Home owners who benefited from unsustainable
  house price increases
• Investors who benefited from unsustainable
  profits in finance industry
• Politicians who benefited from the illusion of a
  booming economy

Who did not benefit from the bubble? - the poor
and disabled people
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Not just cuts - but targeted cuts
Protected Cut
Pensions Disability benefits
Healthcare Social Care
Education Social Housing
350 billion out of 500 40 billion
Universal, mainstream, for ordinary people like us Special, marginal, for the poor unfortunate or scroungers
Delivered by nationalised systems with high visibility Delivered by complex and diffuse systems with low visibility
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The cuts are just a symptom - there are
long-standing problems to address

• Weak entitlements - eligibility thresholds high
  and rising, housing rights weak, legal rights
  weak
• Super-taxation for disabled people -
  means-testing, charging
• Poverty traps - benefit systems that punish
  families, savers, earners and disabled people
• Weakened families - support focused on
  crises,family control undermined, families
  disrespected
• Imprisonment for many - up to 20,000 people with
  learning difficulties in prison
• Pre-birth and at-birth eugenics - 92 abortion
  rate for unborn children with Downs syndrome (UK)

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Perhaps we could

1. Do nothing - the cuts are inevitable - nothing
   can be done, we just have to cope the best we can
   - the world is simply unfair
2. Rely upon others - other people and organisations
   are already set up to campaign - we dont need
   another campaign weve got nothing new to add
3. Just stay positive - there will be positive
   opportunities for change and reform in the cuts -
   this is really a good thing - it will help break
   the reliance on services

...or alternatively
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There are some opportunities, amidst the madness

• Clarify the values - define the beliefs that help
  us make progress
• Improve practice - innovate and reform using
  technologies that we know work
• Build bridges - connect with each other and with
  other groups for mutual support
• Advocate change - propose policy and legislation
  that supports progress

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This crisis is part of the third phase of
de-institutionalisation 1. Closing
institutions 2. Personalising services 3.
Reforming welfare To put people fully in control
of their own lives... ....as equal citizens.
We didnt expect this to be easy?
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The story so far...

• Next steps for an ordinary life - new and old
  leaders met to reflect on the future for people
  with learning difficulties.
• Comprehensive Spending Review - individuals and
  organisations begin to realise what is going to
  happen.
• Something must be done - letter to be published
  in the Times - but to what purpose?
• Campaign is born - 1,000 individuals sign up,
  plus many organisational members - initial
  structures developed...
• Scottish Campaign - major event and manifesto
  written
• Welsh Campaign - steering group formed 2 weeks ago

...lots achieved in 4 months
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Our Purpose
Everyone is equal, no matter their differences or
disabilities. A fair society sees each of its
members as a full citizen - a unique person with
a life of their own. A fair society is organised
to support everyone to live a full life, with
meaning and respect.
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Scottish manifesto Joint Human Rights Committee
Submission

• human rights this means embracing the European
  Convention on Human Rights... a fundamental
  redesign of the obligations of government at
  every level to secure citizenship for all.
• the right to support as an objective right
  established in law this will remove the
  dependency of older and disabled people on
  gifts from professionals...
• provide families and individuals with early
  support this will prevent crises, reduce the
  need for expensive interventions, and end the
  indignity of severe eligibility thresholds.
• put people back in control of their own lives
  this will enhance personal autonomy and dignity
  by restoring peoples right to control both their
  lives and any essential support that they need.
• good housing this will give people the right to
  live in their own accessible homes, with a choice
  of the full range of different types of tenure...
• guaranteed minimum income free from
  means-testing this will create the necessary
  incentives for people to work and make
  contributions to civic life...
• end the current super-tax on older and disabled
  people levied through local authority charges
  this will end the indignity of older people
  having to spend or give away all their savings...

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Seven key principles...

• Family - we give families the support they need
  to look after each other.
• Citizenship - we are all of equal value and all
  have unique and positive contributions to make.
• Community - we root support and services in local
  communities.
• Connection - we all get chances to make friends
  and build relationships.
• Capacity - we help each other to be the best that
  we can be.
• Equality - we all share the same basic rights and
  entitlements.
• Control - we have the help we need to be in
  control of our own life and support.

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The possible scope of the Campaign

• People with learning difficulties
• Older people
• Children and families
• Disabled people
• Mental health
• Women and children
• The poor
• Community sector
• Local government