Critics claim Khan's new disability action plan 'lacks ambition'

Lib Dem leader at City Hall warns the mayor’s new action plan for deaf and disabled Londoners “risks papering over accessibility failures rather than confronting them”, reports Kumail Jaffer, Local Democracy Reporter

Adam Gabsi with assembly member Hina Bokhari (credit Kumail Jaffer/LDRS) — Campaigner Adam Gabsi with Lib Dem assembly member Hina Bokhari (credit Kumail Jaffer/LDRS)

Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan’s first action plan to improve life for deaf and disabled Londoners has been criticised as “papering over London’s accessibility failures” rather than providing a long-term solution to challenges faced by the community.

On Monday (14th) City Hall launched a series of commitments to improve access to transport, safety, housing, employment and financial support for the capital’s 1.2million deaf and disabled population.

This includes pushing boroughs and developers to ensure adequate levels of accessible housing is delivered, and ensuring disabled Londoners can more easily claim financial entitlements, report crimes and be evacuated safely during emergencies.

But the strategy – which was initially set to be published in March, before being delayed to June and then again until now – “lacks ambition”, according to critics.

“Ultimately, the mayor’s plan is completely lacking the scale of ambition, transformation and investment needed to even make a dent in the barriers disabled Londoners face,” Hina Bokhari, the leader of the Liberal Democrats on the London Assembly, said.

“My biggest fear is that this plan risks papering over London’s accessibility failures rather than confronting them.

“There are some worthwhile measures here, but the painful reality of the mayor’s first-ever disability action plan is that the ambition to really tackle those systemic barriers and genuinely make a difference to disabled Londoners’ lives is simply not there.”

Tracey Lazard, chief executive of Inclusion London, added: “As the fully independent strategic partner who worked closely with the GLA [Greater London Authority] in the process of developing this plan, we welcome it and see it as a strategically important positive step.

“While at this time not every action suggested by our community was included in this first action plan, the focus now must shift to ensuring the plan is implemented fully and the visions set out in key policy areas are used to guide policy-making in London for years to come.”

The document focuses on five main challenges that disabled Londoners face relating to finance, safety and accessibility of services.

It cited research showing that poverty levels are, on average, seven points higher in households with at least one disabled family member – 31% – than those without. In 2024, 59% of disabled Londoners were in work, compared to 80% of non-disabled Londoners.

Almost a third of disabled Londoners live in social housing, compared to 10% of non-disabled residents, the report claims. However, those unable to live in accessible social housing are often forced to rent privately, resulting in intense financial pressure.

But claiming financial support is difficult for some disabled Londoners, who told the authors that communication barriers and inaccessible locations had often stopped them getting what they were entitled to.

As such, the GLA will pilot improvements to “accessible advice provision” to support boosting this uptake. This will also include ensuring disabled Londoners are aware of concessions on Transport for London (TfL) services.

However, on transport, there was no mention of concerns around ‘floating bus stops’ in the plan, despite Tom Rahilly, assistant director of communities and social policy at the GLA, telling the London Assembly in July that “it came up as an issue” during the production of the report. Campaigners have said that any plans for future floating bus stops in London must be scrapped to avoid any future tragedies involving cyclists colliding with vulnerable people.

There were also concerns around hate crime, with the Metropolitan Police recording 2,245 incidents of disability hate crime between 2022 and 2026. To address this, the Met committed to work with the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (Mopac) disability co-production group to make it easier to report crime and receive appropriate victim support.

There was also a commitment to ensure the GLA works with London Fire Brigade to create safe evacuation routes in all buildings.

Meanwhile, City Hall itself has pledged to strengthen engagement with disabled Londoners to ensure “lived experience” is embedded at the heart of this work. While the mayor has previously rejected the need for a dedicated disability champion, he said a “lived experience co-chair” will be appointed to support this work alongside the deputy mayor for communities and social justice, Debbie Bernard-Weekes.

The GLA says it will monitor progress on all action points and provide quarterly updates to its disability engagement forum, as well as publishing data online.

In the foreword of the report, Khan said: “Our capital is home to 1.2million deaf and disabled people, who make an enormous contribution to our capital. But too many continue to face unacceptable inequalities and challenges that affect their daily lives and prevent them from fully participating in and benefitting from life in London.

“That’s why we’re launching our Action Plan for Disabled Londoners, to double down on our efforts and set out the bold actions we’ll be taking to tear down these barriers and improve the lives of deaf and disabled people in our city.

“This action plan isn’t just a statement of intent – it’s a promise of practical action.”

Khan had said he would “certainly” be at the launch when asked in July, but City Hall did not hold a public event for the release of the report and he was not able to attend. Instead, Weekes attended in his place.

“The mayor promised to be there to launch the plan himself, yet in the end he did not even show up – which is not surprising given it’s hardly a plan to shout from the rooftops about,” Bokhari said.

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