Government Announces Review into Funding for Disabled Candidates

We are very pleased to see that the Government is reviewing the past and present forms of funding for disabled candidates, and exploring the potential for a long-term funding solution.

The Government’s Disability Action Plan Consultation launches today, and participants have until the 6th October 2023 to respond. They can do so by clicking here.

In the consultation document, we are pleased to see that the Access to Elected Office Fund, and other past and present funding models, are being reviewed, with the option of them being reinstated. Something that we first recommended this in our Representation paper, and we have been campaigning on, with our Cross-Party Disability Coalition, and the Disabled Women in Politics Network. Our position is clear, that we believe that we should reinstating funding to support disabled candidates, and candidates with long-term health conditions.

As displayed in the image below, the research by our partners Centenary Action Group has been highlighted by the Government in their Disability Action Plan Consultation.

We are also pleased to see the campaigning by Scope, Disability Rights UK and others be taken on board, with proposals by the Disability Unit to create guidance on Accessible Playgrounds, as well as taking action on Climate Adaptions and Mitigations for disabled people, and people with long-term health conditions.

Image Alt-Text: Disabled people make up 22% of the population[footnote 5] but are underrepresented in political and public life.[footnote 6] It is important that people in elected roles are representative of the people and communities that they serve. It is also important that disabled people can see themselves represented at the highest levels of public life. The need for long-term solutions has been highlighted in research and by many stakeholders, including the Centenary Action Group on Disabled Women in Politics.[footnote 7]