Disabled people should have freedom, dignity, choice and control over their lives. We want to remove the barriers that stop people from enjoying equal access to full citizenship.
Actions
We:
- are working on a new delivery plan of the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities, co-designed with Disabled People's Organisations
- fund organisations committed to increasing equality for people with disabilities
- continue to reform assessment procedures for disability and ill-health benefits
- providing support to help disabled people into training and employment
- we fund ILF Scotland to administer the Independent Living Fund to enable people to live independently
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we support disabled people running for elected office via the Access to Elected Office Fund Scotland which is administered by Inclusion Scotland
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are improving the lives of those living with Autism and/or a learning disability
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are working to improve social care support by establishing a National Care Service
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supporting disabled people's organisations work on tackling inequality and discrimination and furthering equality and human rights through £5m of our Equality and Human Rights Fund
Background
In Scotland, responsibility for issues that affect disabled people are split between issues reserved to the UK Government, and areas that we are responsible for.
We are responsible for most public services including: local councils, education, housing, social work and the NHS in Scotland.
The UK Government is responsible for equality legislation including the Equality Act 2010, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), employment, income and some benefits.
We make equality considerations part of our everyday work. Find out more about: mainstreaming equality.
Statistics and research evidence on disability are crucial in helping us identify issues that need to be addressed. More information on the range of evidence we use is available on the disability pages of the Equality evidence finder.
Bills and legislation
Legislation to protect the rights and welfare of disabled people in Scotland includes:
- the Social Care (Self-directed Support) Act 2013 introduced a new approach that gives adults, children and carers who need social care support more choice and control
- the Disabled Persons' Parking Badges (Scotland) Act 2014 introduced fairer arrangements for disabled people who depend on their Blue Badge to allow them to park close to their destination. It will strengthen the enforcement powers of local authorities to tackle widespread abuse of the scheme
- the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 introduced the Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) framework. This helps to ensure that all services and agencies working with disabled children use a co-ordinated, prompt and proportionate approach
- the Welfare Funds (Scotland) Act 2015 came into force in April 2016. It placed the Scottish Welfare Fund into law, and put a duty on each local authority to maintain a welfare fund
- the Education (Scotland) Act 2016 extends children's rights in existing additional support for learning legislation
- the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 improves support for adult and young carers
- Part 4 of the Health (Tobacco, Nicotine etc. and Care) (Scotland) Act covers the provision of communication equipment and support for people who have lost their voice or have difficulty speaking
- The Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018 set up the principles, operational and administration functions, rules, and accountability of the Social Security Scotland agency and its new and devolved disability and low-income benefits
- the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 banned pavement parking, double parking, and parking at dropped kerbs to improve access for disabled people
- The Consumer Scotland Act 2020 requires Consumer Scotland to embed incisive communication in everything they do
- Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 created a provision for the aggravation of offences by prejudice and the stirring up of hatred against people of protected characteristics under the Equality Act (including disability)
- The Disability Assistance for Children and Young People (Scotland) Regulations 2021 established the eligibility criteria and other conditions for Chid Disability Payment
- The Disability Assistance for Working Age People (Scotland) Regulations 2022 established the eligibility criteria and other conditions for the newly launched Adult Disability Payment
Contact
Email: ceu@gov.scot – Central Enquiry Unit
Phone: 0300 244 4000 – Central Enquiry Unit
The Scottish Government
St Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG