The BSL GCSE: A route to tackling the Deaf employment gap

Conference notes that disabled peopled face barriers to employment. 2022 figures show that 53.3% of disabled people were in work compared to 81.9% for non-disabled people. This gives a shocking “disability employment gap” of 28.5%. Although official government figures do not record the employment gap for Deaf native British Sign Language (BSL) users specifically, a […]

Prostate Problems

Conference notes that prostate can affect more than one in three men over the age of 50. The prostate is a small gland found only in men, trans women, non-binary people who were assigned male at birth and some intersex people, we also note that data shows that African Caribbean people are more likely to […]

Making UNISON truly disability friendly

Conference believes that Unison needs to be leading the way in helping to resolve the issues that we face as disabled members and making us feel true participants in the workings of our union. Conference notes that: • There are at least 9.8m people with a disability in the UK (source: ONS) • Around 21% […]

PERSONAL INDEPENDENCE PAYMENTS – WE NEED A FAIR PIP ASSESSMENT PROCESS WHICH IS FIT FOR PURPOSE

This National Disabled Conference notes with concern that the process of applying for Personal Independence Payments (PIPs) continues to be long, arduous and stressful with an unacceptably large number of disabled people still being refused benefit through the PIP process. Conference is further concerned that the staff employed to undertake assessments frequently have little knowledge […]

Disabled people have the right to travel too

Disabled people including our Disabled Members could find themselves losing their Personal Independence Payments (PIP) if they go abroad for a holiday, for work or even to visit family. Current government guidance says PIP claimants need to inform the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) if they’re planning to travel abroad for 28 days or […]

Accessibility on the railway network.

Conference, we all support the RMT in their campaign to maintain ticket offices and the employment of railway personnel. The removal of ticket offices at stations and cuts to railway staff disproportionately affect disabled people. Conference believes that train station offices and railway personnel should not be reduced to protect the safety and wellbeing of […]

Access to Hospital Equipment

Conference notes that a disproportionate number of disabled people have to attend hospital for appointments and treatments. Why, then is hospital equipment not adequate for use by disabled people? For example, for many disabled people with mobility issues trolleys and examination tables do not go low enough and eye testing equipment is often impossible to […]

Let’s Raise Awareness

Conference notes the exceptional Trans ally training scheme that our union has created and delivered to many Unison members. Our Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender + (LGBT+) National committee, it’s officers and the Transgender, Non Binary and Gender Diverse caucus must be applauded for the work and effort they have put into the training and […]

Hate Crime Equality

Elevating the offence of assault against the disabled community from an assault to an aggravated assault. We call upon conference to support the motion to elevate the offence of assault against a member of the disabled community from an assault to an aggravated assault by influencing the government to make changes to the law. Currently […]

Make our union documents and language inclusive to national reading age of 9

Conference notes that GOV.UK recommends that written communication is aimed at a reading age of 9 for readability. As a union we use many terms and specific language that people outside the union don’t use every day and don’t always understand. When a disabled person joins the union it is like being in a place […]

Neurodiversity Awareness

Despite the increasing recognition of neurodiversity, many people with neurodivergent conditions continue to face significant challenges in their daily lives. These challenges include stigma, discrimination, and a lack of understanding and support from society at large. This can lead to negative outcomes, such as unemployment, social isolation, and poor mental health. The purpose of this […]

Securing the legacy of the year of disabled workers

Conference notes the success of UNISON’s Year of Disabled Workers 2022 and places on record our thanks to all of our disabled members and activists who have driven this success throughout our union. Through this year, we have seen renewed focus on the experience of disabled members in our union, in the workplace and in […]

Towards an inclusive Women’s Health Strategy

Conference notes the December 2021 government policy paper ‘Our Vision for the Women’s Health Strategy for England’, published after 100,000 women shared their personal experiences around the way the health and care system listens to women. The document looked at the approach to women’s health by putting women’s voices at the heart of this work. […]

Breaking down barriers to employment

Conference is concerned that the findings of a Parliamentary Work and Pension’s Committee which completed in July 2021 are being disregarded by the Tory government. The committee were clear that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) national programme for supporting disabled people is not working and that local level support is needed to break […]

Disabled people and the cost of living crisis

Conferences notes the cost of living crisis which will disproportionately impact on disabled people. Even before the pandemic, disability related expenses or the ‘disability price tag’ was on average £583 extra per month compare to non-disabled people, according to the 2019 Scope Disability Price Tag report. One in five faced extra costs of more than […]