New Chief Executive Officer appointed at Disability Equality Scotland Disability Equality Scotland (DES) is delighted to announce the appointment of Lucy Mulvagh as our new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Lucy joins us from the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE), where she is Director of Policy, Research and Impact. She brings extensive experience in influencing policy and championing the voices of people who are too often unheard. Reflecting on her appointment, Lucy said: “I am honoured to take on the role of CEO at Disability Equality Scotland at such a critical time, when disabled people in Scotland continue
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Celebrating Judy Heumann – Easy Read available Last month, to mark International Women’s Day, we created a new Easy Read about Judy Heumann to make her story more accessible to more people. Judy Heumann was a disabled activist who helped change laws and attitudes so that disabled people have more rights and opportunities today. This Easy Read explains her life and work using clear language, short sentences, and supportive images. It is designed to be easier to understand for people who prefer information in a simpler format, including people with learning disabilities. The document covers: Who Judy Heumann was The
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Update on Assisted Dying Bill in Scotland The Scottish Parliament voted on 17 March not to pass the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill after a long and detailed debate. This marks an important point in an ongoing discussion. The issue has raised complex and sensitive questions for many people. Disabled people’s voices have been an important part of this conversation. Many have shared concerns about possible risks, including pressure or coercion. There are also concerns about whether safeguards would be strong enough. Some have questioned how the bill could affect people’s rights, independence and access to care
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Coming soon – a new Inclusive Communication Toolkit for Scotland On 24 March, Scottish Government will share a new Inclusive Communication Toolkit for public services in Scotland. Public services include local councils, healthcare, transport companies, and many others who work with the people of Scotland. Inclusive communication means making sure that everyone can understand and take part. This can include accessible communication like braille, BSL, and Easy Read. A Toolkit is a set of ideas that you can use and learn from. The Inclusive Communication Toolkit includes videos, web pages and things you can print out. The Scottish Government Inclusive
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Young Carers Action Day – Supporting Young Carers Through Inclusive Communication Young Carers are children and young people who give care and support to a disabled person, often somebody from their family. But it is important to remember that carers can also be disabled people, and may need support themselves. 11 March 2026 is Young Carers Action Day. This year’s theme is Fair Futures for Young Carers, highlighting the importance of ensuring young carers have the same opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive as their peers. Young carers all over Scotland work hard to balance their caring responsibilities with other
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Join our free webinar on Accessible Design Basics Disability Equality Scotland is hosting a free webinar on accessible visual design on Thursday 2 April 2026, from 12.30pm to 1.30pm. Accessible design helps make information easier for everyone to use, including disabled people. Small changes to layout, colour, structure and formatting can make a big difference to how people understand and engage with presentations and visual materials. In this introductory webinar, our training team will share practical tips to help you make your presentations and posters more accessible. During the session, we will explore: accessible layout and design in PowerPoint presentations
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Happy International Women’s Day 2026: Women, Community and Access Panels Happy International Women’s Day! As a disabled woman I love International Women’s Day for the space it creates to celebrate the contribution of women to our world. This year’s theme is Give to Gain, and when I was asked to write this blog, I found myself thinking about Access Panels. That might be because I had just come from the Access Panel conference, but more likely it is because, for me, they capture exactly what Give to Gain means in practice. Disabled people, many of whom are disabled women, give
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Easy Read versions published for Scottish Government Family Law consultation We have produced Easy Read versions of a new Scottish Government consultation on Family Law, helping more people understand the proposed changes and share their views. Family law affects many aspects of people’s lives, including relationships, separation, marriage, and legal rights after a partner dies. Making this information accessible is essential so that everyone can understand what is being proposed and take part in decisions that affect them. The consultation asks for feedback on several suggested changes, including: the rights of people who were living together when they separate the
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Cost of Living 2026: What is it like to live in Scotland as a disabled person? In 2025, Disability Equality Scotland asked disabled people how the cost of living crisis is impacting their lives. We found that: 43% of disabled people said it costs a lot of money to run the independent living equipment they need to survive; 55% spend more than 20% of their net income on their energy bills. This means that, as a measure of fuel poverty, these people would be defined as experiencing extreme fuel poverty; 27% of disabled people have had to choose between paying
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An update about our CEO, Lyn Pornaro Today we announce that our CEO, Lyn Pornaro, is moving on from Disability Equality Scotland (DES) at the end of April. Over the past three years, Lyn has been instrumental in the growth and development of DES and leaves the organisation in a secure position for the future. Zara Todd, Convenor, shared: “On behalf of myself and the rest of the Board, we would like to thank Lyn for her work over the past nearly four years. Under her leadership, Disability Equality Scotland has grown substantially, and she leaves the organisation in an
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