We all have a right to independent living – the right to be full and equal citizens. But this fundamental right is denied to disabled people living within a society in which disablism - behaviour founded on the (often unconscious) belief that disabled people are inferior to others – is widespread.

Barriers to Independent Living are visible in day-to-day life, in the ways that society treats disabled people as separate. For decades, the Independent Living movement has been campaigning tirelessly to bring down these barriers.

This report calls for a radical overhaul of support for disabled people, to create a system founded on the principle that those best placed to identify the needs of disabled people and how to meet those needs are disabled people themselves.

The imminent reform of Incapacity Benefit means that we now face a unique opportunity - to undertake a fundamental transformation of the system, and to change society’s disabling attitudes towards people with an impairment.

The challenge - to policy-makers, service providers and disabled people - is to seize the moment and make Independent Living an opportunity for all.

Sarah Gillinson and Hannah Green are researchers at Demos. Paul Miller is a senior researcher.

This project was funded by Scope and BT, and was conducted in partnership with Disability Awareness in Action and the ILZone. It is published as part of Scope’s Time To Get Equal Campaign.

Corrections:
Apologies to Independent Living Advocacy, Essex - we incorrectly stated that their organisation 'grew out of the Essex Coalition of Disabled People'. In fact, ILA pre-dated ECDP.

Apologies to Sally Witcher who should have been featured in the Acknowledgements in her capacity as an independent consultant, and not as a member of the Disability Employment Advisory Committee.