THE aspiration of Independent Living started more than 30 years ago. It began with a group of disabled people, some of whom were confined to long-term residential care. They wanted to experience choice and control in their lives. Basic choices, such as when to get up, what to wear and what to eat. They wanted the things that everyone aspires to – Family life, work and their own homes – independent lives not dictated by other people’s agendas.

Thanks to campaigning by disabled people and their organisations, we have made significant progress. I am one of the many disabled people now living independently. However, there is much to do before disabled people of all ages are treated as equal citizens. I was honoured to be asked by Anne McGuire, the Minister for Disabled People, to chair the Independent Living Review Expert Panel. The task of the panel, comprising a group of disabled people with first-hand knowledge of independent living, was to advise the Government on an independent living strategy.

Our starting point was: “Nothing about us, without us.” Disabled people must define the solutions to our own problems. In the past we were excluded from the decision-making process and policies and services perpetuated our dependency. This had to change. Independent living services not only empower disabled people, they help those around them, improving their life chances. Independent living is for disabled people of all ages. Disabled children will not develop the same aspirations as their nondisabled peers unless they have the power to make choices about the assistance and equipment they need. Older people are often made dependent by services that fail to intervene early and offer little choice or control. Independent living provides the environment whereby people in both groups enjoy the same control over their day-to-day activities as their nondisabled peers.

The expert panel worked with ODI officials for more than a year. The resulting strategy is grounded in the experiences of disabled people of all ages and contains clear commitments from government to make measurable progress. The Government acknowledged our call for a new law to guarantee a minimum standard of support for independent living and has agreed to look at this again if sufficient progress is not made. I, and other disabled people, will hold it to this commitment.

Baroness Jane Campbell, chair of the Independent Living Review Expert Panel.

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