'Our Lives, Our Choices' - the campaign for the right to independent living

Our Lives, Our Choices is the national campaign for the right to independent living. It is seeking a radical reform of health and social care that will enable disabled people of all ages and backgrounds to take control of their own lives, live with dignity, and participate fully in society as equal citizens.

When we experience disability, illness, or old age we should all be able to rely on a level of state support that allows us to maintain our independence. The current system simply cannot deliver. The result is dependency, poverty, and exclusion.

In addition to this families and friends of disabled people should not be forced into poverty or experience a lack of opportunities as they do now because of the inadequacies of the current system.

The right to Independent Living is important for everyone.  Currently:

• 175,000 children and young people are left to provide daily care and support for disabled parents
• Older disabled people currently have less rights to home care support
• Women's pay, career advancement and quality of life at retirement are all impacted by the number of women who provide unpaid care, often because statutory services are not available
• Black and minority ethnic communities are over-represented in the acute psychiatric system
• 329,000 disabled people are living in housing unsuitable for their needs.
• 50% of parents with learning disabilities have their children taken away from them.
• Disabled people can be forced to live in institutional care against their wishes

Lord Ashley’s Independent Living Bill would create a system that is fit for the future and one that we can all rely on. The campaign is calling for the Bill to be enacted within the lifetime of this Parliament and for Government to invest in all our futures.

How you can get involved:

• Join the 'Our lives, Our choices' campaign. Membership is free - see below for contact details.
• Lobby your local councillors to pass a motion to support the Independent Living Bill

For further information about the campaign, please contact NCIL on 020 7587 1663 or via policy@ncil.org.uk or Beth Capper on 020 7566 0126 or email beth.capper@radar.org.uk