Disability Equality Scotland carries out research with disabled people across Scotland. Our aim is to understand people’s lived experience and the barriers they face in daily life.
As a Disabled People’s Organisation, our work is shaped by our members. Their views guide our research, our responses to consultations, and our wider campaigns.
We use a range of research methods to understand what life is like for disabled people in Scotland. This helps us show decision makers what needs to change.
We aim to hear from as many disabled people as possible. This means our work reflects real experiences and supports positive change in policy and services.
Our Research Approach
How we do our research
Disabled people are often described through statistics or spoken about by others. At Disability Equality Scotland, lived experience comes first.
Our research reflects how disabled people see the world and the barriers they face.
Our principles
We follow three key principles:
- Lived experience We use direct feedback from disabled people to show real challenges and barriers.
- Real world impact We show how policies affect disabled people in everyday life.
- Evidence based work We use trusted research methods so our work is clear and can be checked.
How we gather evidence
We gather views in different ways:
- Member questions and surveys
- Responses to government and parliamentary consultations
- Research projects with partners and funders
We publish reports, fact sheets, and a quarterly research review to share what disabled people tell us.
What we focus on
We work with members on key issues such as:
- Cost of living
- Accessible transport
- Social security
- Support for disabled students
Our work focuses on independence, equality and removing barriers.
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