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Feb. 17th, 2009 01:00 pmI got a letter from my MP today, with the copy of the letter he received from Jonathan Shaw, the Minister for Disabled People, in response to my problems as someone with reduced mobility.
This is the most telling bit:
"With regard to the general issue of ensuring access to goods, services and facilities, in order to qualify for protection against disability discrimination an individual would first need to meet the definition of a disabled person under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, as amended by this Government, to improve and strengthen the rights of disabled people. In general, someone is considered to be disabled for the purposes of the Act if they have a 'physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day to day activities.'
The Act states that for the purposes of deciding whether a person is disabled under this definition, a long-term effect of impairment is one which has lasted, or is likely to last, at least 12 months; or is likely to last for the rest of the life of the person affected.
We do not consider it appropriate to extent the Act to cover people with a short-term impairment, however severe. We believe that shortening the 12-month period mentioned above, or removing it altogether, would disturb the fundamental nature of the Act, which is to protect people with a disability, and the normal understanding of disability is a condition that is permanent or long-term."
It is OK to deny me any service at all, because in a few months I will be able to walk. I wonder if this also includes getting a job - if they will say because I am not technically disabled I have no option but to take the first job that comes my way, accessibility or no. Please bear in mind that I was not asking for disability allowance, I was just asking them to reimburse taxi fares to attend a mandatory interview. They finally agreed to do that but made it very clear it wasn't policy. WHY isn't it policy? Because they don't have to help, so they won't.
I am so fed up of my life right now. I am so fed up of other people.
This is the most telling bit:
"With regard to the general issue of ensuring access to goods, services and facilities, in order to qualify for protection against disability discrimination an individual would first need to meet the definition of a disabled person under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, as amended by this Government, to improve and strengthen the rights of disabled people. In general, someone is considered to be disabled for the purposes of the Act if they have a 'physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day to day activities.'
The Act states that for the purposes of deciding whether a person is disabled under this definition, a long-term effect of impairment is one which has lasted, or is likely to last, at least 12 months; or is likely to last for the rest of the life of the person affected.
We do not consider it appropriate to extent the Act to cover people with a short-term impairment, however severe. We believe that shortening the 12-month period mentioned above, or removing it altogether, would disturb the fundamental nature of the Act, which is to protect people with a disability, and the normal understanding of disability is a condition that is permanent or long-term."
It is OK to deny me any service at all, because in a few months I will be able to walk. I wonder if this also includes getting a job - if they will say because I am not technically disabled I have no option but to take the first job that comes my way, accessibility or no. Please bear in mind that I was not asking for disability allowance, I was just asking them to reimburse taxi fares to attend a mandatory interview. They finally agreed to do that but made it very clear it wasn't policy. WHY isn't it policy? Because they don't have to help, so they won't.
I am so fed up of my life right now. I am so fed up of other people.
