We use some key terminology in the strategy and we'll keep discussing our use of language throughout the strategy’s lifespan to ensure language is kept up to date.

For more details on the language we're using, visit the terminology section of the Accessible City Strategy (link to be added).

Definition of disability

The definition below is taken from the Equality Act 2010.

A person is considered to be disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on their ability to do normal daily activities.

What ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ mean:

(1) ‘substantial’ is more than minor or trivial, for example, it takes much longer than it usually would to complete a daily task like getting dressed.  

(2) ‘long-term’ means 12 months or more, for example, a breathing condition that develops as a result of a lung infection. There are special rules about recurring or fluctuating conditions, for example, arthritis”.

Progressive conditions are defined as those that get worse over time. People with progressive conditions can be classed as disabled. However, people automatically meet the disability definition under the Equality Act 2010 from the day they are diagnosed with HIV infection, cancer, or multiple sclerosis.

The Equality Act includes guidance on conditions that aren’t covered by the disability definition, for example, addiction to non-prescribed drugs or alcohol.

Social model of disability

The social model of disability distinguishes between 'impairment' (functional limitations of mind, body, or senses) and 'disability' (disadvantage or restrictions of activity placed by society). A key concept of the social model is that society disables people by the way things are arranged. Organise things differently, and they are enabled though their impairment has not changed.

The social model regards disability as ‘the loss of or limitation of opportunities to take part in the normal life of the community on an equal level with others due to physical or social barriers'. This definition focuses on removing barriers that prevent disabled people's participation as citizens.

Disabled people include, but are not limited to, people with:  

  • physical disabilities or who find it difficult to move around
  • sensory disabilities or those who cannot hear or see, or who find it difficult to hear or see
  • learning disabilities
  • mental illness
  • long-term conditions

Definition of non-visible disabilities

A non-visible disability is a disability or health condition that is not immediately obvious. 

It's estimated that 70 to 80% of disabilities are non-visible and can defy stereotypes of what people might ‘think’ disabled people ‘look’ like.

Some non-visible disabilities include:

  • mental health conditions (for example anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and personality disorders)
  • cognitive impairment, such as dementia, traumatic brain injury and learning disabilities
  • physical health conditions, including diabetes, respiratory conditions, and incontinence
  • energy-limiting and/or chronic pain conditions, including fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME)
  • sensory processing difficulties
  • autism, asperger syndrome and other neurodivergence
  • hearing, vision, and speech impairments

People with non-visible disabilities may experience a lack of understanding and disbelief and may be assumed by others not to be disabled.

Many people with non-visible disabilities report unequal opportunities and difficulties accessing the services and support they need. They have reported challenges in access and inclusion in employment and in higher education and further education.

Difficulties accessing other public services and infrastructure, such as transport, parking, sidewalks, mobility aids and health and social care, can also impact disabled people’s ability to participate in work and education.

It's possible for people to be disabled visibly and non-visibly and for the two to be related or unrelated.

The choice of ‘non-visible disabilities’ as a preferred term to talk about disabilities that are not immediately obvious is influenced by the negative connotations, which can be associated with expressions such as ‘hidden disability’ (which can suggest that people are purposefully hiding their disability) or ‘invisible disability’ (this term can imply that the disability doesn’t really exist and may be all in an individual’s head).

We recognise non-visible disabilities as having parity with visible disabilities and seek to ensure voices are represented in balance across all forums and for people with marginalised and intersecting identities who are also disabled in multiple and complex ways.

We seek to learn from the experiences of people living with non-visible disabilities and to remove barriers to our services and employment in the council. Our internal disability awareness training will highlight non-visible disabilities and guidance on improving access for people with these conditions and experiences.

Find out more about non-visible disabilities

Read the blog article Living with Non-Visible Disabilities published by The Disability Unit.

Read the research briefing Invisible Disabilities in Education and Employment published by the UK Parliament.

Read the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) position statement on non-visible disabilities.

Definitions of ableism and disablism

Ableism is discrimination in favour of non-disabled people. Disablism is discrimination or prejudice against disabled people. Both terms describe disability discrimination, but the emphasis is different.

We live in an ableist society that assumes that the ‘normal’ way to live is as a non-disabled person, and that views disabled people as ‘less than’ in various ways.

Examples of ableist behaviours, assumptions and stereotypes include:

  • believing that non-disabled people are more valuable to society than disabled people
  • making assumptions about what a disabled person can or cannot do
  • stigmatising sickness, ill health, incapacity, and any kind of disability and difference
  • building inaccessible websites or failing to incorporate accessibility into building design plans
  • not making inclusive adjustments at work or in service access, experience, and delivery
  • failing to make information available in an accessible format, such as Braille or British Sign Language (BSL)

We recognise the complex impacts of ableism and disablism and seek to grow as a council that works against ableism and disablism in all their forms.

We have zero tolerance for any form of discrimination against disabled people.

Definition of audism

Tom Humphries in his 1977 doctoral dissertation defines audism as "the notion that one is superior based on one's ability to hear or to behave in the manner of one who hears".

Audism results in a negative stigma toward people who do not hear. Like other systems of oppression, audism judges, labels, and limits individuals based on whether they hear and speak.

Audism takes place in all levels of government and society in the form of direct, indirect, and/or systemic discrimination and discriminatory behaviour or prejudice against Deaf people.  

Examples of audism include: 

  • jumping in to help a Deaf person communicate
  • asking a Deaf person to ‘tone down’ their facial expressions because they are making others uncomfortable
  • refusal, or failure to use, sign language in front of a person who depends on sign language to communicate if you know how to sign
  • denying accessibilities, like an interpreter or captions
  • insisting that Deaf and hard-of-hearing people conform to the hearing community
  • assuming that Deaf people can’t do anything, or lowering your expectations of their skills because they cannot hear

We recognise audism as a distinct form of discrimination and recognise its impact on Deaf and hard-of-hearing people.

We're committed to increasing our understanding of audism and how to eliminate it. We aim to identify and continuously improve our accessibility, inclusion and support specifically for D/deaf, deafened, and hard-of-hearing people.