Why GDA is Needed

Some Background Information

Many people think that discrimination on the grounds of disability is being effectively addressed but we disagree. Despite equality legislation and progress across many agencies and organisations, disabled people are still facing barriers in accessing learning and exercising their rights to be active citizens. Much is being done but far more is needed:

Disabled people are twice as likely as other citizens to have no recognised qualifications.

Young disabled people aged 16 are twice as likely not to be in any form of education, employment or training (NEET) as their non- disabled peers - this increases to 3 times as likely by the age of 19.

By the age of 26, young disabled people are 4 times as likely to be unemployed as non-disabled young people and more than 3 times as likely to agree with the statement "Whatever I do has no real effect on what happens to me.

49% of disabled people of working age do not work and are at considerable risk of living in poverty, with severe consequences for their families and children.

Disabled people in work are more likely to be in low paid, low skilled jobs.

Partly due to their low levels of formal qualifications, disabled people are less likely to work in managerial and professional occupations.

Among those in employment, earnings are 11% lower for disabled than non-disabled people with the same level of educational qualifications.

People who are disabled officially constitute only 6 % of formal volunteers and around 4.3 % of public appointments across Britain. This is compared to 20 % of the population at large.