{"id":50447,"date":"2024-06-07T16:30:34","date_gmt":"2024-06-07T15:30:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/?page_id=50447"},"modified":"2024-06-10T15:16:23","modified_gmt":"2024-06-10T14:16:23","slug":"potential-and-possibility-2024-improving-political-engagement","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.sense.org.uk\/about-us\/research\/potential-and-possibility-research\/potential-and-possibility-2024-improving-political-engagement\/","title":{"rendered":"Potential and Possibility 2024: Improving political engagement\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

People with complex disabilities tell us what needs to change<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\t
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In the upcoming General Election, there\u2019ll be many people with complex disabilities struggling to exercise their right to vote because of inaccessible voting practices.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Nearly a quarter of people with complex disabilities felt elections weren\u2019t run in a way that made it easy for them to vote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Source: Potential and Possibility research 2024 <\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n

Even in the approach to an election year, our research found that many people with complex disabilities feel politically disenfranchised. This is due, in part, to the lack of awareness and consideration of the needs of people with complex disabilities in our electoral system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

More needs to be done to empower people with complex disabilities be better able to engage in politics and have their voice heard.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feeling seen and valued\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Disabled people make up 22% of the UK population. Of the disabled population, one in ten have complex disabilities<\/a> \u2013 that\u2019s 1.6 million in total. By the end of the next parliament this will have risen to 2 million. This is a huge portion of potential voters to neglect, and yet many disabled people tell us that they haven\u2019t felt seen or valued by past governments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mohammed remembers voting for the first time, when he was old enough to do so, in the 2005 General Election. He\u2019s voted every year since. Except this year. Mohammed no longer believes that his vote will bring about the changes necessary to support disabled people.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI\u2019ve been voting for so many years and it hasn\u2019t made any difference or brought any change. Even if I do vote, it won\u2019t make a difference.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I write to party representatives in my area saying, \u201cWhat are you going to provide for disabled people?\u201d and they never answer.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I get invited to join a campaign or to give up my time, I continue to ask \u201cWhat about disabled people? How are we involved in your policies and your events?\u201d There\u2019s no point if I’m not going to be heard.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\nMohammed<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n\t

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Mohammed\u2019s experience is not unique. Nearly a quarter of people with complex disabilities (24%) didn\u2019t vote in the last general election. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Sense, we know that people with complex disabilities, including people who are deafblind, face daily inequalities. Despite government proposals to address these issues<\/a>, many people continue to feel left out of life.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The outcome of the upcoming 2024 General Election will have a huge impact on the lives of people with complex disabilities.\u202f It\u2019s vital that disabled people are a top priority for the next government. In our manifesto, we set out seven key recommendations for how the next government can improve the lives of disabled people<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sense is determined to keep providing a platform for people with complex disabilities to highlight the issues they face. While the run up to the election is an important time, we attend conferences<\/a> and meet with MPs, councillors, peers and other organisations throughout the year. Together, we can influence change and create a society where disable people feel valued and included.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\t

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Is voting becoming less accessible?\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Disabled voters have the right to be able to cast their votes independently and in secret.  By law, local authorities must take steps to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to do this. This means providing the support at local polling stations<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nearly a quarter (24%) of people with complex disabilities felt elections weren\u2019t run in a way that made it easy for them to vote. <\/strong>Some of the barriers that could make it harder for disabled people to exercise their rights include:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n