In times of crisis the rights of disabled people are the first to be slashed, despite us being amongst the categories most in need of particular support in the coronavirus pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The UK government\u2019s emergency Coronavirus Act, according to Disability Rights UK, amounts to a suspension of the Care Act 2014 and of parts of the Mental Health Act. It undermines the rights of disabled people to social care by removing the duty local authorities have to provide it. It also relieves councils of the duty to fulfil the social, health and social care needs listed in individual disabled pupils\u2019 education health and care (EHC) plan. The Coronavirus (Scotland) Bill contains similar measures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The effects of this legislation are already apparent. Inclusion Scotland have reported they have already heard of care packages being withdrawn by local councils (Inclusion Scotland newsletter 5 April 2020) and DPAC have denounced a situation in which disabled people who have been instructed to self-isolate have been denied priority in receiving food deliveries because they are not on the \u2018Clinically Extremely Vulnerable\u2019 Government list. DPAC are mounting a legal challenge<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n