How is Wales supporting Disabled people During the Pandemic?

The pandemic has had serious consequences for all of society, forcing individuals to isolate for long periods, as well as forcing businesses to close their doors – in many cases, permanently. For disabled people, the impact has been especially gruelling; the gaps in employment opportunity they had already experienced were worsened, and their access to care was limited. 

In Wales, the government has taken a series of actions to help support disabled people during the pandemic. This has mostly come in the form of guidance issued to employers on how to cope with the pandemic, and resources on how to meet the varied needs of disabled people. Both carers and disabled people have been provided with regular updates on the progress and state of the virus, and the measures that have been implemented to control it.

In Wales, disabled people make up 15% of essential workers, but plenty of disabled people work in the pubs, shops and leisure centres that have been forced to close repeatedly. What’s more, many disabled people rely on public transport to get from one place to another. Though steps have been taken to make trains and buses safe for travellers, many disabled people will prefer to make alternative arrangements. This might come in the form of a vehicle that’s been modified to deal with the needs of disabled drivers.

Disabled people have also had to prepare for the possibility of their care and medication being interrupted. In many cases, friends and family have had to step in to fill the gap – but community volunteer groups have also been set up to help vulnerable people to carry out basic tasks like shopping and prescription-collecting while self-isolating.

The internet has provided an invaluable means for disabled people to connect with one another, and to access self-care resources, which have helped them to stay active and occupied during what has been a testing time.

What rights can disabled people fall back on?

Disabled people are protected by Section 44 of the Employment Rights Act 1996, which allows workers to withdraw from an unsafe work environment. If an employer has not taken steps to make their premises Covid-secure, then a worker, disabled or otherwise, might have legal grounds to walk away.

Further protection comes from the Equality Act 2010, which safeguards workers against discrimination based on a range of characteristics, including age, race, sex or disability. 

The UK government’s approach has still attracted criticism from disabled groups. The Coronavirus Bill empowers ministers to suspend key parts of the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014. In the case of the equivalent law in England, there’s an explicit requirement that breaches of the European convention on human rights be avoided. The same is not true in Wales.