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Worst effects of austerity yet to be felt, disability advice charity warns Worst effects of austerity yet to be felt, disability advice charity warns
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2013 looks like being a historic year for disabled people - but for the wrong reasons, says Disability Law Service, one of the Guardian's eight Christmas appeal charities. 2013 looks like being a historic year for disabled people – but for the wrong reasons, says Disability Law Service, one of the Guardian's eight Christmas appeal charities.
Disability Law Service is on the front line of welfare reform, providing expert legal advice to disabled clients who face benefit cuts and reductions to their social care support packages as public spending cuts bite. Disability Law Service is on the frontline of welfare reform, providing expert legal advice to disabled clients who face reductions to benefits and their social care support packages as public spending cuts bite.
"Austerity is already hurting the most vulnerable, but in truth the greatest impact is yet to be felt," says Aydin Djemal, the charity's chief executive. "Austerity is already hurting the most vulnerable, but in truth the greatest impact is yet to be felt," says Aydin Djemal, the charity's director. Local authority cuts will start to kick in after April, hitting social care services and charities that support disabled people. Legal aid funding will be drastically cut back. "We expect to hear more and more cases of disabled people having their basic dignity taken away from them," says Djemal.
Local authority cuts will start to kick in after April, hitting social care services and charities which support disabled people. Legal aid funding will be drastically cut back, and more benefit reforms will kick in. "We expect to hear more and more cases of disabled people having their basic dignity taken away from them," says Djemal. Disability Law Service advises on a range of issues: perhaps a severely disabled person who has had their social care support package reduced from 24-hour care to four hours; or parents who face having their children taken into care by the authorities because they cannot fund the care needed to keep them at home.
Disability Law Service advises clients on a range of issues: it could be a severely disabled person who has had his or her social care support package reduced from 24-hour care to four hours; or parents who face having their children taken into care by the authorities because they cannot fund the care needed to keep them at home.
Disability Law Service, which is run by disabled people, has had a tough year itself financially, losing council grants and other sources of funding. But Djemal says this has not weakened the charity's determination to provide vital help for its clients. "The current economic and political environment is our worst fear realised, and yet the response has been to roll up our sleeves and to work even harder."Disability Law Service, which is run by disabled people, has had a tough year itself financially, losing council grants and other sources of funding. But Djemal says this has not weakened the charity's determination to provide vital help for its clients. "The current economic and political environment is our worst fear realised, and yet the response has been to roll up our sleeves and to work even harder."
Djemal says money raised through the Guardian Christmas appeal means it can increase staff numbers to meet what he expects to be hugely increased demand for its services from disabled people: "The donations will allow us to keep providing meaningful help for disabled people and to continue to help people with disabilities challenge discrimination and assert their human rights, in the face of a hard reality." Djemal says money raised through the Guardian Christmas appeal means the charity can increase staff to meet what he expects to be hugely increased demand for its services. "The donations will allow us to keep providing meaningful help for disabled people and to continue to help people with disabilities challenge discrimination and assert their human rights, in the face of a hard reality."
Disability Law Service was one of eight charities supported by the Guardian this Christmas. Each works to ensure people with a disability get the chance to participate, express themselves and fulfil their potential, not just in sport, but in education, the arts, work, and wider society. Each of the Guardian's eight charities this Christmas ensures people with a disability get the chance to participate, express themselves and fulfil their potential, not just in sport, but in education, the arts, work, and wider society. In their different ways, they strive for equality: making choice, independence, access and freedom a reality for people with a disability or long-term illness.
In their different ways, they strive for equality: making choice, independence, access and freedom a reality for people with a disability or long-term illness. The aims of the appeal are summed up by the inspirational campaigner Baroness Campbell (pictured left), who spoke of disability rights not just in terms of protection from harm and discrimination, but the requirement to enable people "to flourish as human beings, ensuring they have genuine autonomy to shape a life worth living".
The aims of the appeal are encapsulated in the words of the inspirational campaigner Baroness Jane Campbell, who spoke of disability rights not just in terms of protection from harm and discrimination, but the requirement to enable people "to flourish as human beings, ensuring they have genuine autonomy to shape a life worth living".
The eight charities are: Oily Cart, QEF, Sense International, Ambitious About Autism, Greenbank, Disability Law Service, The Ace Centre, and Basic Needs.The eight charities are: Oily Cart, QEF, Sense International, Ambitious About Autism, Greenbank, Disability Law Service, The Ace Centre, and Basic Needs.
Our charities – chosen with the help of charity analysts NPC – remind us what is possible; how, with determination and commitment, we can make autonomy and equality a reality for people with a disability.Our charities – chosen with the help of charity analysts NPC – remind us what is possible; how, with determination and commitment, we can make autonomy and equality a reality for people with a disability.
Guardian Christmas charity appeal donations can be made online, by post or by phone: 0151 284 1126 - open 9am-5pm Monday to Thursday, 9am-4pm Fridays and 10am-3pm weekends (excluding bank holidays). Guardian Christmas charity appeal donations can be made online, by post or by phoning 0151 284 1126 – 9am-5pm Monday to Thursday, 9am-4pm Fridays and 10am-3pm at weekends (except bank holidays). Donations will be shared equally between the eight charities, which will also receive a tailored package of media, marketing and communications support, resources and training from the Media Trust. The Guardian and Observer Christmas appeal 2012 is held in conjunction with our appeal partners, charity analysts NPC and Media Trust.
Donations will be shared equally between the eight charities, which will also receive a tailored package of media, marketing and communications support, resources and training from the Media Trust.
The Guardian and Observer Christmas appeal 2012 is held in conjunction with our appeal partners, NPC and Media Trust.