Wendy Perez says people with learning (intellectual) disabilities have the right to the same life as the rest of us.
Author: Wendy Perez
The UK government is making lots of changes to the laws that affect people with learning disabilities. Most of these changes are very bad indeed.
They do not know that people with learning disabilities can be fully integrated into society. Given half a chance people with learning disabilities can contribute more to society than others. We contribute to a good society in many different ways. But sometimes society doesn’t recognise or welcome our contribution.
Some people think that we always depend on the state. But that is not right and this has been proved. With the right support, from people who know us and work with us, we can be full citizens.
We are free individuals; we do not have to depend on the state.
We have been fighting for freedom as long as I know.
People with learning disabilities should have the same rights as other people. But the laws being introduced by the UK Government will lead to people with learning disabilities having less freedom, less support and fewer rights. These new laws, in the long run, will cost the Government more money. They will make people more dependent.
There is more and more bureaucracy. Private organisations like Atos are testing people just by asking questions and ticking boxes. They don’t understand what our lives are like – they are just jobsworths. They have no understanding of our disability – they are just doing it for the money.
I do not think this is right. People are losing their money and not being asked the right questions. This means they are losing their independence and rights.
Would you like this to happen to you. It has not happened to me yet, but it’s happening to people I know. We have the same rights as anyone else. We have the same right to a full life as you do. How would you feel if this happened to you and you lost control of your life?
The publisher is the Centre for Welfare Reform.
Right to the Same Life © Wendy Perez 2014
All Rights Reserved. No part of this paper may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher except for the quotation of brief passages in reviews.
intellectual disabilities, England, Article
