Disabled People’s Rights Plan 2025 to 2035: equality impact assessment

The Welsh Government is committed to supporting a society where diversity is embraced and valued for the positive impact it has. We have produced a Disabled People’s Rights Plan, shaped by the lived experiences of disabled people, disabled people’s organisations and government policy leads. 

In 2021, the proportion of disabled people in Wales was 21% (670,000 people). The proportion of disabled people within the population increased with age, and females were more likely than males to report being disabled. We know disabled people face multiple forms of discrimination and exclusion, in education, employment, health, housing, transport, and more. 

The Disabled People’s Rights Plan recognises that disabled people may face overlapping inequalities due to factors such as race, gender, age, and socio-economic status. This is often called intersectionality. Intersectionality is related to the way in which different types of discrimination (i.e., unfair treatment because of a person's protected characteristics) are connected to and affect each other

This Plan sets out our cross-government 10-year framework which expresses the ambition and outcomes we want to achieve, to ensure disabled people can flourish as equal members of Welsh society, and to challenge discrimination and prejudice. 

We are also guided by the principles and obligations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Disabled People, which includes the right to independent living and sets out measures for social protection. The convention recognises the right of all disabled people to have a proper standard of living for themselves and their families, and the right to social protections and to the enjoyment of that right without discrimination.

Included in the Plan is the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 which is about improving the social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being of Wales. The Act gives a legally-binding common purpose, the 7 well-being goals for national government, local government, local health boards and other specified public bodies. It details the ways in which specified public bodies must work and work together to improve the well-being of Wales. This Plan supports the Well-being Goals of a: 

• prosperous Wales
• resilient Wales
• healthier Wales
• more equal Wales
• Wales of cohesive communities
• Wales of vibrant culture and thriving Welsh language
• globally responsible Wales

The Plan has been structured against four overarching areas, which are aligned to the 7 National Well-being Goals of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act:

• Neighbourhoods, places, and transport
• Employment, income, and education
• Independent living, health, and social care
• Justice and supporting environments

For each of these 4 areas, this plan sets out our overarching high-level outcomes and more detailed outcomes and short-term actions we want to achieve over the next 10 years. 

British Sign Language (BSL) was recognised as a language of Wales in 2004 by the then Assembly Government and we remain committed to ensuring the deaf BSL signing community is fully included and empowered in all aspects of Welsh society. The Welsh Government recognises the barriers faced by deaf BSL signers and the need to overcome these to prevent prejudice and exclusion. This Plan emphasises the need for participation from both the government and the deaf BSL signing community in designing, delivering, and evaluating relevant policies and services.

The Welsh Government’s strategy for the Welsh language, Cymraeg 2050, aims for 1 million Welsh speakers and a doubling of the daily use of the Welsh language by 2050. We believe that the Welsh language (Cymraeg) belongs to us all, wherever we are on our Welsh language journey. Cymraeg is more than just a matter of cultural identity and diversity. It’s also about social inclusion and equality.  

The Equality Act (2010) is an important piece of legislation that aims to protect disabled people from discrimination and to promote equality of opportunity. The Act makes it unlawful for employers, education providers, service providers, and others to discriminate against a disabled person because of something arising as a result of their difference, impairment, or health condition.

A significant part of the Equality Act 2010 is the requirement for employers, service providers, and others to make “reasonable adjustments” for disabled people. This includes taking steps to remove barriers that may prevent disabled individuals from accessing employment, education, or services. The Act also protects people from being treated unfairly because they are a carer or support worker for a disabled person.

The Welsh Ministers have a duty under the Public Sector Equality Duty (“PSED”) in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 (“the 2010 Act”) to consider how their policies affect those who have a relevant protected characteristic under the 2010 Act. Disability is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010. The Act provides that disabled individuals have equal access to services, employment, and public functions. Disabled people are more likely to experience ableism and discrimination, and intersectional discrimination where people have a combination of protected characteristics.

Embedding equality and human rights approaches into Welsh Government work requires systemic and cultural change and will take time. Through our National Equality Objectives (NEOs) and Human Rights Statement, this Plan introduces a coherent framework for planning and delivery.  

As part of our other duties under the Equality Act, the Welsh Government Strategic Equality and Human Rights Plan 2025 to 2029 has set out 7 NEOs, these are:

• National Equality Objective 1: we will create a Wales where everyone has opportunities to prosper in line with our organisational goal to reduce poverty.
• National Equality Objective 2: we will create a Wales where everyone can be aware of their human rights, and where those rights are protected, promoted, and underpin all public policy.
• National Equality Objective 3: we will create a Wales where everyone can be aware of and has equitable access to high quality public services.
• National Equality Objective 4: we will create a Wales free from discrimination, victimisation, harassment, abuse, hate crime and/or bullying against all people.
• National Equality Objective 5: we will create a Wales where everyone from the full diversity of backgrounds can participate in public life, have their voices heard and see themselves reflected in leadership positions.
• National Equality Objective 6: we will create a Wales with fair and equal opportunities to gain employment and for fair and equal treatment in the workplace, including fair pay and conditions.
• National Equality Objective 7: we will create an environmentally sustainable Wales with the capacity to both ensure our journey to net zero is fair and to respond to the inequitable impacts of climate change.

The Disabled People’s Rights Plan includes the Welsh Government commitment to reducing inequality across society, taking action through our equality plans, including Advancing gender equality: action plan, the Anti-racist Wales Action Plan and the LGBTQ+ Action Plan for Wales, which sets out how we are supporting LGBTQ+ communities in Wales.

To ensure proper oversight throughout the implementation of the Disabled People’s Rights Plan, we are establishing an independent External Advisory Board. This Board will play a significant role in shaping the direction, monitoring progress, and maximising the impact of the Plan, acting as a link between disabled people, policy makers, and service providers.

The Welsh Government’s Equality, Race, and Disability Evidence Units, a Research profession, is responsible for overseeing the monitoring and evaluation arrangements for the Disabled People’s Rights Plan. This includes measurement of the Plan’s ongoing progress against individual actions, as well as a wider assessment of the overall impact made against its intended outcomes in the longer-term.

The consultation on the draft Disabled People’s Rights Plan began on the 15 of May 2025 and concluded on the 7 of August 2025. Analysis looked across all questions to highlight overarching areas of consensus, concern, and priority. 

Consultation workshops

During the consultation period, we held several workshops, including commissioned focus groups led by:

• All Wales People First
• The Royal National Institute for Deaf People and Wales Council for Deaf People
• Vision Forum Wales: Guide Dogs Cymru and Wales Council of the Blind
• My Life, My Voice: Disability Arts Cymru and Autistic UK
• Children in Wales
• Fair Treatment for Women in Wales
• Disability Wales

Respondents to the consultation comments included:

• a call to strengthen on data collection and monitoring by ensuring disaggregated data is gathered and analysed across characteristics, including impairment type, age, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, and socio-economic status
• better use of the Welsh Government’s Equality, Race, and Disability Evidence Units

The Welsh Government’s Equality, Race, and Disability Evidence Units work to improve the availability, quality and granularity of evidence about individuals with protected and associated characteristics to help us understand whether our ambition is being achieved for different groups of people. The Evidence Units are designing and testing standardised survey questions that reflect the Social Model of Disability, which could be incorporated into future data collections and social research. Disabled people have been actively involved at every stage of the research.

• Protected characteristic or group
• What are the positive or negative impacts of the proposal?
• Reasons for your decision (including evidence)
• How will you mitigate impacts?

Protected characteristic/group: age

Think about different age groups.

Impacts of the proposal

Positive.

Reasons

The proposed outcomes and actions aim to create a positive impact on disabled people of all ages, including children and older people, ensuring different areas within society are also inclusive for all age ranges.

Mitigation

Following a comprehensive review of the consultation on the Disabled People’s Rights Plan, the Welsh Government has enhanced the Plan and the short-term actions to further strengthen its positive impact for disabled children and adults across Wales.

Protected characteristic/group: disability

Consider the social model of disability and the way in which your proposal could inadvertently cause, or could be used to proactively remove, the barriers that disable people with different types of impairments.

Welsh Government uses the social model of disability. We understand that disabled people are not disabled by their impairments but by barriers that they encounter in society. 

Impacts of the proposal

Positive.

Reasons

At the heart of our approach is the Social Model of Disability, which helps us to understand how disabled people can be held back by the world around them, and how we can make the world easier for everyone to be part of.

The Plan aims to tackle the barriers experienced by disabled people in Wales ensuring all actions benefit disabled people positively. 

Mitigation

Additional short-term actions introduced to the Plan as a result of the consultation will further help to break down barriers to inclusion and participation in society for disabled people.

Protected characteristic/group: gender reassignment

The act of transitioning and Transgender people.

Impacts of the proposal

No impact identified.

Reasons

The proposals which facilitate access to healthcare will have a positive effect on trans disabled people. Easier access to information and advice may encourage disabled trans people to be more confident in accessing Gender Identity Services. 

Mitigation

Not applicable.

Protected characteristic/group: pregnancy and maternity

Impacts of the proposal

Positive.

Reasons

The proposals which facilitate access to healthcare will have a positive effect on pregnant disabled women.

Mitigation

Not applicable.

Protected characteristic/group: race

Including different ethnic minorities, Gypsies and Travellers and Migrants, Asylum seekers and Refugees.

Impacts of the proposal

Positive.

Reasons

The Plan recognises a lack of accessible and affordable accommodation can negatively impact disabled people, for example from Gypsy and Traveller communities, limiting their independence and contributing to poorer health outcomes and reduced quality of life. 

There is a specific action within the Plan to tackle this issue. 

The actions in the Plan identify all disabled people in Wales regardless of their race or migrant status. The actions aim to provide accessible advocacy and information services that will be particularly beneficial to these communities.

Mitigation

Not applicable.

Protected characteristic/group: Religion, belief and non-belief

Impacts of the proposal

Positive.

Reasons

Outcomes and actions within the Plan aim to improve accessible venues and buildings which would enhance access for disabled people to places of worship.

Mitigation

Not applicable.

Protected characteristic/group: sex / gender

Impacts of the proposal

Positive.

Reasons

The Plan recognises that the proportion of disabled people within the population increased with age, and females were more likely than males to report being disabled. Actions are in place to improve access to healthcare for all disabled people. 

There is a specific action within the Plan to improve access to data on the disabled population in prisons, including women prisoners accommodated in England. 

Mitigation

Not applicable.

Protected characteristic/group: sexual orientation

Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual.

Impacts of the proposal

No impact.

Reasons

No impact identified, although easier access to information and advice may encourage disabled LGBT+ people to be more confident in accessing information and support services.

Mitigation

Not applicable.

Protected characteristic/group: marriage and civil partnership

Impacts of the proposal

No impact.

Reasons

No impact identified. The proposals do not address partnership status, and it is anticipated that the policy will have a negligible impact.

Mitigation

Not applicable.

Protected characteristic/group: children and young people up to the age of 18

Impacts of the proposal

Positive.

Reasons

A separate Children’s Rights Impact Assessment has been completed.

Mitigation

Not applicable.

Protected characteristic/group: low-income households

Impacts of the proposal

Positive.

Reasons

The Plan’s outcomes and actions are designed to improve outcomes for disabled people including those living in low-income households.

Mitigation

Not applicable.

Do you think that this policy will impact on people’s human rights?

Yes.

Impacts of the proposal

Positive.

Reasons

The Plan sets out our ambition for a Wales where disabled people can enjoy equitable rights, inclusion and participation. We are also guided by the principles and obligations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Disabled People.

A respect for fundamental human rights as well as equality is built into all Welsh Government work and the Disabled People’s Rights Plan.

Mitigation

Not applicable.

Part 2 of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement, along with the EEA EFTA Separation Agreement and Swiss Citizens Rights Agreement (“Citizens Rights Agreements”) give EU, EEA (The EAA includes the EU countries as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway). and Swiss citizens who were lawfully resident in the UK by 31 December 2020 certainty that their citizens’ rights will be protected. 

The Citizens Rights Agreements are implemented in domestic law by the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 (EUWAA) (Sections 5 and 6 of EUWAA).

Eligible individuals falling within scope of the Citizens Rights Agreements will have broadly the same continued entitlements to work, study and access public services and benefits, in as far as these entitlements have derived from UK membership of the EU as well as its participation in the EEA Agreement and the EU-Swiss Free Movement of Persons Agreement. 

Subject to certain limited exceptions (e.g. where an individual has Irish citizenship (including dual British and Irish citizenship) or where they had indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK), individuals will need to have applied for a new residence status (either pre-settled or settled status) through the EU Settlement Scheme. The deadline for making such an application expired on 30 June 2021. 

Residency

the right to reside and other rights related to residence: rights of exit and entry, applications for residency, restrictions of rights of entry and residence.

There are no negative impacts anticipated as a result of the work of the Taskforce and forthcoming Plan. More broadly the Plan is a framework to positively strengthen and enhance the human rights of disabled people.

Mutual recognition of professional qualifications

The continued recognition of professional qualifications obtained by EU/EEA/Swiss citizens in their countries (and already recognised in the UK).

There are no negative impacts anticipated as a result of the work of the Taskforce and forthcoming Plan. More broadly the Plan is a framework to positively strengthen and enhance the human rights of disabled people.

Access to social security systems

These include benefits, access to education, housing and access to healthcare.

The recent (February 2025) UN examination of International Convention on Economic Social and Cultural rights (ICESCR) recognised that this issue was non-devolved. Welsh Government has some responsibility under Article 10 but only in relation to protection of the family and children and partial responsibility under poverty, food and housing.   

There are no negative impacts anticipated as a result of the work of the Taskforce and forthcoming Plan. More broadly the Plan is a framework to positively strengthen and enhance the human rights of disabled people.

Equal treatment

This covers non-discrimination, equal treatment and rights of workers.

Under ICESCR the equal rights of men and women are covered at Article 3. ICESCR is mainly non devolved and not incorporated. The Equal Power Equal voice programme is not affected by this impact assessment.  

Work continues by Welsh Government to work towards the Programme for Government commitment on the incorporation of CEDAW and the UNCRDP. 

There are no negative impacts anticipated as a result of the work of the Taskforce and forthcoming Plan. More broadly the Plan is a framework to positively strengthen and enhance the human rights of disabled people.

Workers’ rights

Workers and self-employed persons who are covered under the Citizens Rights Agreements are guaranteed broadly the same rights as they enjoyed when the UK was a Member State. They have a right to not be discriminated against due to nationality, and the right to equal treatment with UK nationals.

There are no negative impacts anticipated as a result of the work of the Taskforce and forthcoming Plan. More broadly the Plan is a framework to positively strengthen and enhance the human rights of disabled people.