The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities adopts concluding observations on UK report

The report concludes that the United Kingdom has not done enough to ensure the convention – which enshrines the rights of disabled people to live independently, to work and to enjoy social protection without discrimination – is reflected in United Kingdom law and policy.

 

(a)     That legislation fails to recognise living independently and being included in the community as a human right which enshrines individual autonomy, control and choice, as intrinsic aspects of the right to independent living;

(b)    Policies and measures that affect the ability to live independently in the community, such as the lowering of social protection schemes related to housing, household income and budgets for independent living, as well as the closure of the Independent Living Fund.

(c)     The transferred responsibility to the devolved administrations and local authorities for supporting independent living without providing appropriate and earmarked budget allocation;

(d)    The fact that many persons with disabilities are still institutionalised and deprived of the right to live independently and being included within the community, when:

i) persons with disabilities lack financial resources to afford personal assistance 

ii) local authorities are of the opinion that they can provide assistance within care homes, and 

iii) cost rationale constitutes the main parameter of an assessment; and

(e)     The lack of support services and accessible public facilities, including personal assistance, for persons with disabilities, regardless of sex, gender, age and other status, to live independently and be included in the community.