Commenting on the announcement of the £250,000 fund to support disabled people to get involved in elected office, Sue Bott from Disability Rights UK (which is administering the fund) said:
‘We’re pleased to see the government creating this fund, which will help support disabled people run for elected office in 2019.
‘Being involved in local politics is a concrete way for disabled people to get involved in their local communities, as well as being politically active.
‘Local councillors make decisions on a myriad of important areas which impact on disabled people. From social care to education budgets, we need to hear more voices from disabled people on local issues. Around 10% of local councillors are disabled, but around 20% of adults are disabled.
‘This fund will provide practical help and support to try and close that gap. Help with issues like transport, assistive technology or sign language interpreters can make a significant difference on whether to stand for elected office if you’re disabled.
‘We hope this is the beginning of something which will see funding increase, and broaden in scope, so that disabled people can get more involved in public life; from being a local councillor to becoming a member of parliament.
‘And we hope – and expect – to see political parties do much more to encourage their disabled members to stand for office. Political parties across the spectrum have a poor track record when it comes to selecting and supporting disabled candidates. They should be doing better, and the establishment of this fund is a reminder of that.’
Note:
The EnAble Fund for Elected Office is intended to cover the additional financial costs associated with a disability or health condition, that would otherwise prevent someone from seeking elected office. The Fund is provided by the Government Equalities Office and is administered by Disability Rights UK. For more information about the Fund go to www.disabilityrightsuk.org/enablefund
