General Election Briefing #3

Disability Equality Scotland: General Election Briefing #3

Who We Are

Disability Equality Scotland (DES) is a member-led, Disabled People’s Organisation (DPO), working towards the inclusion and accessibility of all disabled people across Scotland in all of society.

Our work is based on a human rights approach, and we share the collective voices of disabled people to inform and influence policymaking decisions. We adhere to the social model of disability and are a proud member of the Independent Living Movement. DES also acts as the umbrella body for the Scottish Access Panel Network.

Accessible Public Services

This general election is a key chance to ensure that we embed the social model of disability across our public services that we all use. When identifying disabled people’s election priorities, ensuring transport is accessible and access to public services, were prevailing considerations in how disabled people would vote.

We do recognise that there is considerable overlap between the competencies of the Scottish Parliament and the United Kingdom (UK) Parliament in these areas, but aspects of equalities legislation, Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefits and other parts of public service provision are reserved.

How people access the services they rely on is fundamental to how a person is included and made to feel part of a society. In practice, access means not only how someone interacts with a service – but their whole experience from the point they enter the premises, and the access barriers someone person faces. These are barriers which disabled people face every day due to the design of the built environment, or the lack of awareness from fellow citizens. Disabled people may need reasonable adjustments to access a service, but many of the barriers disabled people face can be overcome through changes in built environment and practical infrastructure – so everyone is able to access services on an equal footing.

This briefing paper seeks to conclude our series of election briefings and focusses on accessible transport and housing in particular.

Vehicle Tax Exemption for Disabled People

The Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA) operates a vehicle tax exemption scheme, which supports disabled people with a reduction in their vehicle tax if they receive Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Adult Disability Payment (ADP). Where someone is awarded a standard mobility component, they can get a 50% reduction and for those who have an enhanced award, they get a 100% reduction in vehicle tax.

In September 2023, DES carried out research to learn more about disabled people’s knowledge of, and experiences, when using the scheme – including renewing an exemption. The key things we found were:

• 75% of our members had heard of the Vehicle Tax Exemption scheme for disabled people, whereas 25% had not.
• 37% of respondents said they have applied for vehicle tax exemption and reduction and 40% said they had not applied.
• 23% said their vehicle was already part of the Motability scheme.
• The main challenge for people when renewing at the Post Office was having the appropriate documentation to make their application.
• The main challenge when applying online was again the amount of documentation and providing the correct information. Respondents also mentioned the time taken to do this was considerable.

When applying for an exemption, our members felt that the current process was onerous due to the amount of documentation required. There were also examples of the DVLA sending back documents which weren’t correct due to lack of clarity. One respondent told us:

“It’s a confusing and difficult to manage system, hard to remember what needs done and when/how to do it so I could easily get it wrong or forget”

This lack of clear information and guidance on what is needed to apply adds additional challenges for disabled people. The complexity of the application process means that it could be deemed onerous and, in some cases, respondents felt they had “wasted enough time.” A clear and simplified application/renewal process which is fully accessible using inclusive communication principles, would help to overcome such concerns.

The time taken to gather the appropriate paperwork and processing time was also a concern for our members, with people waiting weeks for a decision, or to receive the appropriate paperwork from the DWP. This time taken proves a barrier to independence for disabled people and an increase in efficiency on the part of government agencies to address delays could help overcome this.

We are concerned that 40% of respondents said they had not applied and 25% said they were not aware of the scheme. We would urge creation of a public information campaign to help increase awareness and uptake of an entitlement which helps disabled people to maintain their independence when travelling.

 

Driving Assessment Centres

Driving assessment centres provide a range of services for disabled people who want to start, continue, or return to driving. These include driving assessments, trying out vehicles for suitability, and testing adaptations to vehicles.

In March 2022, our members survey told us that only 23% of respondents had used one of the centres and that in general, people’s experience was mixed – despite the fact that 85% of respondents said there needed to be more centres in Scotland.[1]

This scheme helps support disabled people to maintain their personal independence – but more needs to be done to ensure that when accessing the service, that outcomes were timely and that the service offered fully meets people’s needs. People found that the waiting period to be assessed can be very lengthy which means disabled people can’t travel independently until after their assessment is completed. Some respondents told us that this variance in waiting times can range from months to years. One respondent was told there was a 3-year waiting list for their assessment.

The assessment process involves a series of tests to determine whether an individual can continue to drive after illness or injury. The tests can also help to advise disabled people on vehicle modifications to enable safe driving or passenger travel. Some respondents were critical of the assessment process and questioned the suitability of the tests. This included an in-car assessment which may take place in locations that are unfamiliar to the individual being assessed. However, others reported a positive experience of the assessment process with particular praise reserved for staff members.

After assessment, the centre can provide adapted vehicles for disabled people – but there can be a lack of suitable vehicles which can delay the assessment process. Some members told us:

“I could no longer drive until I could be assessed for hand controls. Eventually, I phoned the centre several times only to be told that they did not have the hand controls I needed (hand controls to the left of the steering wheel) on any of their vehicles so there was no point in coming….Eventually, I contacted Motability, who arranged to have the hand controls fitted into one of their driving assessor’s vehicles and he did the assessment so I got the hand controls I required and can now drive again but it took approximately 18 months to achieve.”

“When you have a rough idea of what you need to enable you to drive, this information should be passed onto the driving assessment centres. They should prepare for having the equipment to try, instead of waiting until you travel across the whole country to turn up for an appointment you have been waiting a long time for and then told that they can’t assess you because they don’t have the equipment you need. Different vehicles with different adaptations could be moved around the centres as necessary for appointments nearest to people’s homes.”

These experiences show that the scheme does provide disabled people with support – but that there are considerable worries in terms enabling the centres to deliver what disabled people need and what the centres themselves would want to be able to provide. Part of the reason for the low number of respondents using a driving assessment centre was the lack of awareness of the service.

“I have never heard of them before today, they sound like a great idea potentially for so many reasons too. Some people are excluded from driving just because of a diagnosis that may not affect them in the way people are told not to drive for that could be assessed.”

“These would be valuable for helping people with their driving and make disabled people still keep hold of some level of independence.”

There is a network of about 80 main and satellite driving centres in the UK – but only two in Scotland – which are managed independently. Per head of population, there is approximately one driving centre for every 2.6 million people in Scotland, compared to 0.9 million in England, 0.6 million in Wales and 0.2 in Northern Ireland.

When reflecting on availability, the majority of respondents (85%) believed that there needs to be more driving assessment centres in Scotland. Respondents noted that by only having two centres located in the central belt, this makes it challenging for people living in other regions of Scotland, who may have to travel a considerable distance to be assessed. We would support an expansion of the service so that more disabled people can go to an assessment centre closer to home rather than needing to travel a considerable distance.

 

Accessible Public Transport

Travelling by public transport can be challenging for disabled people due to the accessibility of the network.

Evidence from a member’s survey (December 2021) found that when someone was travelling by bus, 89% of respondents said that they needed passenger assistance to travel at the bus station. Unfortunately, 96% said that their request for assistance was not fully met. On the availability of the service there was a lack of staff available to provide assistance or in some cases staff told them it was not a service they could provide. It is concerning that it appeared that not all staff were appropriately trained. Examples included:

“The only assistance I have had was being told what stance to go to. I asked for help to get to the stance, but they don’t have staff to do that.

“We’ve been to Buchanan Station a few times recently, including quite late and we’ve only seen cleaners about.”

“There is no way to request passenger assistance at smaller bus stations. You just have to show up in your wheelchair and hope for the best.”

“I was told there wasn’t any passenger assistance at bus stations, and I should get a carer or relative to travel with me to help me if I needed it.”

Due to these challenges, disabled people may have chosen to use other modes of public transport. In addition to these challenges, as the economy undergoes a transition due to the climate crisis, there is considerable concern amongst disabled people that there is a lack of accessible spaces available on buses and trains, which help wheelchair users or disabled people with a mobility impairment. A members survey carried out in summer 2023 on this issue had the following responses:

“I agree with the goal of reducing car use, but public transport accessibility needs to be fixed first. Even in so-called accessible buses, the drivers in Glasgow refuse to get the ramp out for me in a full half of my journeys. This has put me off of bus travel… Until buses and trains can be boarded without having to chase down a member of station staff, or begging with the driver to please get out of their cabin to get you the ramp; wheelchair users will still use cars no matter how many new local stations are built.”

“More frequent public transport, covering a wider area and suitable for wheelchairs to get on and off is required.”

These challenges with infrastructure can be overcome through changes in procurement and changes to the built environment, such as ensuring that the bus stop has a raised kerb, or that a rail bridge at the local train station has got a lift – so disabled people can get between platforms. Barriers can mean that a disabled person has no option but to take their car and while disabled people overwhelmingly support the disabled persons National Entitlement Card – which provides free bus travel or reduced cost train tickets if someone cannot access the station – then such a scheme becomes redundant, and the person would take their car.

One of the key schemes which disabled people use to support them to travel is their Blue Badge when taking the car. Some respondents felt that that the ‘Just Transition Plan for Transport’ policymakers need to design a plan which considers the need for accessible parking. DES would support this happening as part of any transition process. This was spelled out perfectly by a respondent who told us:

“It has to be acknowledged that many disabled people are dependent upon their vehicles to remain active in civic society and daily life. Schemes that design out vehicle use without considering accessible parking and vehicular access exemptions for Blue Badge users would be discriminatory. One only has to look at recent experiences in York when Blue Badge users were denied access to the city centre during peak business hours to see how poor planning impacts people’s lives.”

Accessible Housing

Everyone needs a warm and accessible home to live in. For disabled people ensuring that they have any support they require in place via independent living equipment, structural changes to a property and other adjustments to enable them to live independently are paramount.

Research carried out by DES in 2022 found that 91% of respondents were finding it difficult to get a rented property that was accessible. Disabled people told us that having adaptations made was vital for their home to be accessible, so that they can move around and do everyday tasks.

For example, potential adaptations someone might need include:

• Widening doors or installing ramps.
• Adding a bath lift.
• Walk-in shower or grab rails.
• Lowering kitchen worktops.
• Installing sensory equipment such as flashing doorbells and text phones.

While local authorities provide these via a scheme of assistance, there may be challenges for disabled people in accessing this in a private rented context. The overriding issues are with the general supply of housing – with a lack of accessible properties being available – leading to long waiting lists. Members told us:

“I have been on the list for years and had little help from housing services. I have had to make do living in a house that is not appropriate or safe for me.”

“I have tried for 20 years to get my daughter a suitable ground floor flat and got know where. They are not building enough flats for disabled people.”

The supply issue of affordable and accessible housing is a decision for the Scottish Government under the devolution settlement, but capital budget decisions made by UK Chancellors does influence how much capital the Scottish Parliament has to spend, especially given its strict borrowing limits under the Scotland Act 1998. We urge candidates to carefully consider the impact changes in the capital budget for the Scottish Parliament could have in addressing the accessible housing emergency facing disabled people.

In order to address the accessible housing emergency, we would ask parliamentary candidates to work in partnership with their Scottish counterparts, so that both parliaments work together to tackle this issue.

DES Members who responded to our survey (Spring 2024) suggested we could solve this crisis by:

• Enshrining the principles of inclusive living into any Strategic Housing Investment Plans (SHIP) and Affordable Housing Programs.
• Introducing a legal requirement to build suitable housing for disabled people with minimum quantum of adapted houses included as part of any future housing developments to increase the supply of suitable housing for disabled people. This rule should be applied to all future developments. Where a private company is contracted by government to build a development a quantum must be part of their contract as well.
• Local Authorities should have to develop strategies on the integration of care and support services for disabled people so that they can live independently.

As part of our research, members pointed out that with respect to Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodiverse people, they may not have a formal diagnosis yet and are “living without diagnosis” and that where data is collected, local authorities should make sure that the housing mix and accessible housing gives due cognisance to this fact. This would mean that once someone has their diagnosis, they can get access to the support they need straight away – especially if this support was not already in place prior to diagnosis.

Like all partners, DES wants to get to a place where everyone who needs support at home – via an accessible home or adaptations such as independent living equipment – has access to this as part of their rights. By ensuring that this support is lifelong, this will support people with learning disabilities, autism and neurodiverse people to live independently, enabling them to make informed choices and to play their part in their local community.

Further Information

For further information on any aspect of this briefing paper, please contact us via research@disabilityequality.scot

[1] Weekly Poll – Driving Assessment Centres (Week Beginning 4 April 2022) – Disability Equality Scotland