'Improving the life chances of disabled people' report

The report Improving the life chances of disabled people was a cross-government strategy setting out a programme to improve the opportunities and life chances for disabled people. The overarching objective was that, by 2025, 'disabled people in Britain should have full opportunities and choices to improve their quality of life, and will be respected and included as equal members of society'.

The strategy was based on four areas:

1. Supporting independent living: bringing together funding streams in the form of individual budgets and through enabling individuals to choose to take cash or accept direct service provision.
2. Improving support to families of disabled children: ensuring services were personalised around the disabled child and their family rather than on processes and funding streams.
3. Supporting a smooth transition into adulthood: avoiding the 'cliff edge' in provision of services between childhood and adulthood, through effective planning and engagement with young disabled people.
4. Improving support and incentives for attaining and maintaining employment: providing employment and training opportunities for disabled people before benefit claims are made.