User-led groups met this week to discuss how to turn back the tide of closures of organisations run and controlled by disabled people and service-users. Research shows the number of user-led groups continuing to fall, due to austerity cuts and other trends affecting their funding.
The closures mean user-led organisations have a “diminishing” voice in opposing oppressive policies, according to a briefing released ahead of the meeting. The closures are leading to a loss of a collective voice for disabled people, and the knowledge, peer support and advocacy that user-led organisations provide, the briefing said.