Why putting Disabled People ahead of targets helps everyone - Public Sector Focus feature
We’re excited to share that our Co-Founder and Director, Chloe Schendel-Wilson, was featured in the March/April 2025 edition of Public Sector Focus, where she discussed the dangers of target-driven policymaking in disability policy and why a people-first approach is essential.
In the article, Chloe highlights the return of tick-box policymaking that prioritises fiscal savings over real outcomes for disabled people.
With reforms such as the tightening of eligibility for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) projected to save the Government £5bn by 2030, we risk returning to a model that places cost-cutting ahead of care.
Chloe makes a powerful case for change: “There is a better way of doing this. A better way which genuinely works for disabled people, employers... This better way starts with the way we speak about disability policy. Not as a sunk cost, but as an investment.”
At The DPC, we believe that disability policy should be designed with disabled people at its heart, not just as a means to meet targets or present fiscal prudence. Reforms that strip away support without offering meaningful pathways into work or independence are not just shortsighted they are harmful.
A people-first, evidence-based approach isn’t just better for disabled people it benefits society as a whole. Ensuring that everyone has the support they need to participate fully in the workforce and community contributes to long-term economic growth and social wellbeing.
We’re grateful to Public Sector Focus for the opportunity to contribute to this critical conversation, and we’ll continue advocating for policies that empower rather than penalise.
