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The United Kingdom's Disabled People's Council Membership Scheme

The United Kingdom's Disabled People's Council  was set up in 1981 by six groups OF Disabled People, who all wanted a national representative body. The United Kingdom's Disabled People's Council  has grown to represent over 80 full member organisations.

 Member Groups Directory includes our current full members

Why was the The United Kingdom's Disabled People's Council  set up?

1. To support and promote the Social Model of Disability
2. To advocate for disabled peoples' full equality into society
3. To support the development of organisations OF disabled people
4. To act as the national respresentative voice of its member groups

The United Kingdom's Disabled People's Council  is part of the worldwide disability movement, through its membership of Disabled People's International (DPI).

Full Membership

Disabled Peoples' groups can apply to join as full members of The United Kingdom's Disabled People's Council if their Constitution or Memorandum and Articles state that:

• At least 51% of their voting membership is made up of disabled people
• At least 75% of their executive body is made up of disabled people

(the final decision on any group's application for membership is made by the United Kingdom's Disabled People's Council).

Full member groups can vote on policy and serve on the The United Kingdom's Disabled People's Council National Council. Full members receive multiple copies of our Activate newsletter and regular mailings of useful information.

More information is available about Full Membership.

Associate Membership

Is open to organisations that do not currently qualify for full membership, perhaps because they are not controlled by disabled people, but are working towards it.

Associates receive our Activate newsletter but not the additional mailings of information. Associate members do not have voting rights.

Additional information about Associate Membership is available.

Individual Membership

Is open to individual disabled people and is free of charge to those who are unwaged and £15 to members who employed (although we do ask for donations where possible). Individual members receive our Activate newsletter. Individual members do not gain a vote in their own right, but are encouraged to get involved with the United Kingdom's Disabled People's Council through their local member group.

Further information is available about Individual Membership.

Supporter Membership

Smaller organisations that do not qualify for Full or Associate Membership as well as individual non-disabled people can be kept informed and support the United Kingdom's Disabled People's Council through a small annual fee.

Find out more about Supporter Membership.

Affiliate Membership

Is open to larger organisations such as trade unions, local authorities, and so on. These organisations must be able to demonstrate to the United Kingdom's Disabled People's Council that they actively support and share the United Kingdom's Disabled People's Council aims and encourage full equality within their structures.

At the time of writing this information (May 2004), current Affiliates include:

• Derby City Council
• Habinteg Housing Association
• BBC Recruitment
• Professional Football Association
• South Oxfordshire District Council
• Rhondda Cynon Taf CBC
• Unifi

More information on Affiliate Membership.

* The recognition that disability is caused not by a person's impairment, but by the disadvantage or restriction of activity caused by a society which takes little or no account of people who have impairments.

Copyright © 2002-03 The United Kingdom's Disabled People's Council .

UKDPC is a registered charity. Charity No. 1068743.