November sees the arrival of Sir Philip Alston in London to begin The United Nations Investigation Into Poverty and Disabilities in the UK.

The UK Government recognises the UN conventions as International Law but still, they are all not incorporated into UK Law including The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

It is reported that by around 2030, 1% of the world’s population will own 99% of the worlds money, if that is true, how will we ever eradicate poverty.

Disadvantaged groups trapped in poverty and excluded from society …

“Britain is a divided nation as the poor are increasingly trapped in poverty and excluded from mainstream society because of their social status, the human rights watchdog has warned.”

Disability News Service has published three articles this month:

Watchdogs’ concern over government refusal to act on UN rights reports

“Four equality and human rights watchdogs have heavily criticised the government for its failure to address the serious concerns raised in a “damning” UN report on the rights of disabled people across the UK.“

Ministers ‘failing to uphold a UN disability convention they do not understand’

“Government ministers are failing to uphold the rights of disabled people, ignoring the need to engage with disabled people’s organisations, and do not understand the UN’s disability convention, according to a new report.“

Disability inequality is widening and risks becoming ‘entrenched’, says EHRC

“Disabled people are becoming increasingly excluded in many areas of their lives and are in danger of becoming “trapped in disadvantage”, a major report by the equality and human rights watchdog has concluded.”

In “Mental Health Today” Unfair British care: racial inequality in mental health underlined in EHRC report

“The extent to which mental health care is failing black patients has been laid bare in the latest state of the nation report compiled by the Equality and Human Right Commission (EHRC).”

Taunted, abused and bullied – Disabled people in Norwich share their experiences of hate crime

“Norfolk and Suffolk have the highest proportion of hate crimes linked to disabilities in the country. Nicky Barrell speaks to those facing the impact of the crimes.”

Health and Social Care of Older People is a Human Rights Issue

“The independent healthcare regulator, the Care Quality Commission recently warned that disjointed health and social care services in England are placing increasing pressure on A&E departments. As pressure grows on the country’s health and care system, what does this mean for the human rights of older people?”

These are just a few examples of where the so called Civil Society and the UK Government have failed to rectify poverty and disability rights in the UK.

Anyone can find themselves living in poverty or with a disability.

Losing a job, an accident or a diagnosis of a condition is all it takes.

These things don’t discriminate as governments and society do.

The Government talked alot about Civil Society in July at the Global Disability Summit, I wonder if the Chancellor will do anything to reduce the financial inequalities in next weeks Budget and increase social care funding?

The devil will be in the detail. Whether the Budget or sir Philip Alston’s report will have any teeth time will tell.

The next part looks at accessibility