Local Voices listened to local people who shared their worries and concerns, and suggested ways we can get help from each other and the council.
People talked about a wide range of topics. But, worryingly, the main feeling was that disabled people in Tower Hamlets think that life’s simply not fair.
Disabled people in our borough are dealing with negative attitudes towards disability, inaccessible information and services and a lack of choice and control over their lives. This is all while cuts in welfare and public services are making it harder for us to get the support we need. People often mentioned the following problems:
- Negative attitudes towards disabled people
- Inaccessible, poor information
- Difficulty influencing decisions and being heard
These themes came up time and time again during the project. Disabled people felt these issues impacted their sense of self, their well-being and their ability to participate in society. They felt these issues mattered egardless of what services or subjects they were discussing.
People also talked about specific services or subjects. They had concerns about:
- welfare and benefits
- social care
- getting out and about
- crime, anti-social behaviour and safety
- health and healthcare
- housing
- jobs, volunteering and training.
More information is available in the reports below.
Local Voices – full report (PDF)
Local Voices Summary – large print (PDF)
There’s a summary report, which is 20 pages long, as well as a large print version. You can also download the full report, which contains a lot more interesting material – but be aware that it’s 150 pages long.
If you need another format, please get in touch.