Greater Manchester Disabled People’s Panel have published the results of their GM Big Disability Survey: Covid-19.

The Greater Manchester Disabled People’s Panel is a Greater Manchester wide, pan-impairment Panel, made up of 14 Disabled People’s Organisations (organisations that are majority led and staffed by disabled people), and is convened by the Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People.

From the outset of the pandemic, member organisations of the Panel have been working to support disabled people, many of whom have been isolated from information, support and access to basic provisions. The Panel has met on a weekly basis since midMarch, sharing information, resources and inputting wherever possible the voice and experiences of disabled people. Having recognised the impact digital exclusion and isolation would have from the onset of the pandemic, the Panel sought to make the Community Hubs more accessible, known and available to disabled people.

Throughout the initial Covid-19 crisis stage, when working to improve the situations most affecting disabled people, the Panel was asked for the evidence it had of disabled people’s experiences. To support the existing lived experience, knowledge and expertise of the Panel, two surveys were therefore commissioned to evidence the impact of the pandemic on disabled people across Greater Manchester. In order to make this gathering of information and data accessible, many Panel member organisations supported disabled people to complete the survey, including over the phone. In addition to the Panel members widely circulating the surveys amongst their members and networks, the surveys were hosted on gmconsult.org, shared through social media, included in mainstream media press releases and circulated through partner agencies in order to hear from a wide variety of disabled people. Once the survey was closed, GMCA provided an impartial analysis of the data.

677 people took part in the full survey and 630 (93% of respondents) of these identify as disabled. An easy read version was also available and this had 259 participants, 60% of which identified that they had a learning disability.

The findings of the survey confirmed the Panel’s assertion that disabled people were being disproportionately affected by the pandemic. The survey confirmed that disabled people are experiencing social isolation, reduced social care support, issues relating to access to food, medicine and information, and a severe impact on mental health. 

Download the summary report here.

Download the full report here.

Download large print, easy read, and PDF screen reader versions of the report here.