After the Paralympics, Scope conducted a poll among 400 disabled people and the people caring for them. It showed 72% of them thought the Games had a positive effect on attitudes towards disabled people. Lord Coe was hoping that ‘we would never look at disability in the same way again.’ But have the London Paralympic Games really helped to change attitudes among the public and are they now more knowledgeable about disability?
Our research suggests that public knowledge hasn’t really changed. Our regular poll that asks the public about charities does not show the Paralympics had any effect on their knowledge of charities in the disability sector. Three quarters of the public remain unable to name one. Compared to the results for a similar question asked before the Paralympics, there is no significant difference.
Looking at our young people survey (11-16 years old), 5% spontaneously mentioned Paralympians as being their most inspiring role model during the Olympics and Paralympics and 3% named Oscar Pistorius. But this rise in popularity for the Paralympics athletes does not necessarily convert into more knowledge about the sector. Indeed, 82% of 11-16 year olds are still unable to name a disability charity.
Similarly, our research with MPs suggests that the Paralympics had no impact at all on their knowledge of disability charities. Our summer survey, carried out while the Paralympics was on, did not show more MPs being able to name one. In fact, if we look at the overall trend for this question, it seems that MPs now tend to be less able to name one than a few years ago.
Overall, our figures suggest that the change has been rather superficial. People can name a few Paralympians, but they don’t seem to be more aware or interested in knowing more. I feel this is reflected in the low support that campaigns against cutting disability welfare benefits received from the public. Booing George Osborne does not create change and it certainly did not stop the reform.
Early in the days of the coalition government, targeting the £60m frauds on the Disability Living Allowance was set as one of the main priorities, but they stayed quiet on the £5bn which disappeared in the year 2010-2011 through tax avoidance. This issue was brought to them by organisations like 38 Degrees, who organised a massive campaign to target companies dodging taxes in the UK.
So what does this tell us?
There was never a strong political drive to change attitudes towards disability. On December 3rd, Disability International Day, the DWP decided to extend the Mandatory Work Activity to people with sickness under Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). If they are deemed to be fit to work by the health assessment from Atos, they have to take part in work-related activities or face losing 70% of their weekly allowance. The following week, Scope became the fifth charity to quit the MWA programme because of this extension to people receiving ESA. With all of this happening, it is not surprising that 89% of sport clubs saw no increase in the number of disabled people joining them.
So is the legacy of Paralympics definitely buried? From the point of view of the Government, it seems so. So really it is up to the charities (yes again…) working in the sector to broaden the support and reach out to the those members of the public not currently affected by disability. Legislation is going through very quickly. Do not wait until the election to take action. Sign this campaign now!