- Conference
- 2012 National Disabled Members' Conference
- Date
- 6 July 2012
- Decision
- Carried as Amended
This Conference is gravely concerned that government austerity measures in welfare reform have failed to respond to the access needs of Deaf people in its move from Disability Living Allowance to Personal Independence Payments. Whilst government has recognised British Sign Language as the fourth indigenous language of the UK it has consistently failed that it has made no effort to improve communication access for Deaf people and that Deaf people continue to face extensive economic exclusion, social isolation, exclusion from mainstream society and bear the additional costs associated from living as a Deaf person.
Deaf members are expected to submit themselves for review of their existing DLA, without adequate access to information about welfare reform on the DirectGov website or information pack, what is expected of them at the review process and with no confidence that the review process itself takes account of the barriers face. We believe that whilst we are afforded protection as disabled people according to the Equality Act 2010, government has failed to take into account the needs of Deaf people within the DLA review and that the new Personal Independence Payment continues to fail Deaf people with regards to additional living costs.
This Conference instructs the NDMC to lobby government to:
1. Review welfare reform policies to ensure they are accessible to and able to respond to the additional living costs of Deaf people
2. Improve information access to the DirectGov website to ensure there is provision in BSL and English.
Submitted by the National Deaf Caucus