Open letter: Scrap the Coronavirus Act provisions

WinVisible has signed the open letter co-ordinated by Disability Rights UK — here it is, with the list of organisations who signed. Add your signature below using the link (individuals or organisations welcome).

Scrap the Coronavirus Act provisions

“We the undersigned call on the Government to restore and protect the rights of disabled people by removing the powers from the Coronavirus Act 2020 which diminish the rights of those who rely on social care and education support. These powers were opposed by disabled people and allies, when they were introduced, have caused confusion and harm when operated and led to reductions in care, support, safeguards and education for disabled adults and children.

“The evidence is clear as to the lethal and disproportionate impact this pandemic has had on disabled people. ONS figures show that disabled people have made up two thirds of all Coronavirus deaths and people with health conditions have been the hardest hit. Seven in ten people with a learning disability reported having their social care cut during the pandemic. With the potential of a second wave, it is imperative that the rights of disabled people are protected, not diminished. 

“The Coronavirus Act contains provisions allowing local authorities to reduce vital social care duties, weakens support and education for disabled children and young people, and enables the removal of basic legal safeguards that could severely impact the rights of people coming into contact with the mental health system.

At a time when people need care, support, safeguards and education the most, the powers for central and local government to reduce their legal responsibilities to disabled people are wholly unacceptable.

Our lives must be valued equally. Removing our rights causes us disadvantage and discrimination, and puts our mental and physical health and our lives at risk.

As the Coronavirus Act approaches its six-month review, now is the time to recognise the devastating impact the exercise of these powers has had and to restore the legal rights of disabled people. ” 

SIGN the Disability Rights UK statement.

Email your MP to ask them to stand up for the restoration of our rights here.


1. Baroness Jane Campbell of Surbiton 

2. Action Disability Kensington and Chelsea 

3. Action on Hearing Loss

4. Alliance for Inclusive Education

5. Being the Boss

6. Black Belt Advocacy

7.  Breakthrough

8. British Institute of Human Rights

9. Business Disability Form

10. Camden Disability Action

11. Camden Disability Association

12. Chronic Illness Inclusion Project

13. Directory of Social Change

14. Disability Advice Service Lambeth

15. Disability Network Hounslow

16. Disability North

17. Disability Peterborough

18. Disability Positive

19. Disability Rights UK

20. Disability Sheffield

21. Divers Cymru

22. DPAC North East and Cumbria

23. Evenbreak

24. Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People

25. Greenwich DPAC

26. HAFAL

27. Hammersmith and Fulham Coalition Against the Cuts

28. Harrow Association of Disabled People

29. Harrow Mencap

30. Inclusion Barnet

31. Inclusion London

32. KeyRing Living Support Network

33. Leeds Disabled Peoples Organisation

34. Leicestershire Centre for Independent Living

35. Leonard Cheshire

36. Liberty

37. London Autistic Rights Movement

38. McPin

39. MENCAP

40. Merton CIL

41. MIND

42. National Survivor User Network

43. National Voices

44. People First Self Advocacy

45. POhWER

46. Reclaiming our Futures Alliance

47. Rethink Mental Illness

48. Richmond Aid

49. RNIB

50. Royal College of Occupational Therapists

51. RUILs

52. SCOPE

53. SENSE

54. Shaping our Lives

55. Spectrum Centre for Independent Living CIC

56. Sunderland People First

57. The Challenging Behaviour Foundation

58. Visual Impaired in Camden

59. VoiceAbility

60. Wheels for Wellbeing

61. Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living

62. WinVisible

63. Wish

64. Women’s Resource Centre

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