Disability Advisory Panel members announced

Details: Published: 27 January 2026

The DWP published the names of the ten member Disability Advisory Panel (DAP) this week. The panel, which was first announced in the Get Britain Working White Paper, has been set up to work with ministers across government on policies affecting disabled people.

The DAP was set up to ensure the voices of deaf and disabled people and people with long-term health conditions are heard by government. Issues they will work on include:

Access to Work.
Disability Confident.
The Keep Britain Working Review recommendations.

Disability minister Stephen Timms said that:

“Far too often, decisions about disabled people have been made without them.

“We are changing this. This Panel brings together years of experience and valuable insight. The voices of disabled people will count because they will be in the room where decisions are made, and where policies are shaped.

“We will listen, we will learn, and together we will build a system that truly works for disabled people.”

The panel is separate from the Timms review, but “expertise and insight will be shared between the two”.

Chair:

Zara Todd, disability equality consultant.

Panel members:

Laura Fulcher (Southwest) - Founder & CEO, Mission Remission.

John Kerr (Scotland) - Employability Development Officer, East Lothian Council.

Jeff Banks (Southeast) - CEO, Lightyear Foundation.

Tracy Lazard (London) - CEO, Inclusion London.

Nabila Gardner (Midlands) - Director/Founder, Ways for Wellbeing UK CIC.

Molly Deakin (Yorkshire) - Policy and Campaigns Officer, Together Trust.

Arun Veerappan (London) - Director of Research, The Disability Policy Centre.

Noor Al-Koky (Southwest) - Senior Commissioning Manager, Gloucestershire County Council & NHS Gloucestershire.

Damian Bridgeman (Wales) - Director, Freedom 365 Limited.

Isaac Samuels OBE (London) - Community Campaigner and Co-production Advisor.

CEOs, directors, managers and founders appear to be well represented on the panel and will undoubtedly offer a great deal of valuable insight. But currently unemployed, disabled people and those struggling in insecure, minimum wage jobs are harder to identify. At best, it seems their voices may be heard second-hand.

UPDATE 28.01.2026: Concerningly, one of the companies detailed in the membership was listed for compulsory strike-off yesterday, having failed to provide its accounts. Freedom 365 Ltd operates from a virtual office in London and its last published accounts showed it having one employee, no assets and no capital or reserves. Thanks to readers for highlighting this.

Comments

9 Comments
Terms
RSS
Register

or post as a guest

People in conversation:

Loading comment... The comment will be refreshed after 00:00.

Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
DisabledClaimant · 10 hours ago
A national type of Disability charity invited me to join this panel but I had to decline as it would impact my health and wellbeing and impact my benefits that most disabled people reliant on Disability Benefits cannot afford to lose.

I hoped those who live with supportive parents who aren't reliant on Benefits to exist and get to live well, would apply so our voices aren't second hand.

I don't see the name of the person from that charity listed so perhaps we won't even get to input second hand.
- 2 Up 0 Down
- Reply
- Share
Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
Moose · 10 hours ago
There was no reassurance to disabled people who wanted to apply that any PIP etc they get would be protected and that their involvement in this would not be used against them in the future.
Anyone else disabled and wanting to apply may not have been able to participate because of their illness or disability.
- 2 Up 0 Down
- Reply
- Share
Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
kevin · 12 hours ago
All either CEO's, work in government or local councils etc etc, no one from a normal working class background, or everyday people, no voice of those affected as usual be they mentally or physically disabled. None of these so called representatives of us the mentally ill and disabled people who rely on benefits have ever needed to claim benefits as the come from private to start with, another exercise in futility and more money wasted. And they say we a burden on society.
- 2 Up 0 Down
- Reply
- Share
Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
grenson · 13 hours ago
nand picked nodding monkeys it seems
- 2 Up 0 Down
- Reply
- Share
Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
keepingitreal · 16 hours ago
Hmm, a lot going on there pointing to talking people out of their disability and getting them into work. Moving towards pip assessment being the new wca. How long before it's means tested?
- 6 Up 3 Down
- Reply
- Share
Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
anees292 · 17 hours ago
Hope to better outcome, if our admin say they are well represented then we can hope for our future.
- 1 Up 0 Down
- Reply
- Share
Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
D · 17 hours ago
I thought the board would have some disabled individuals, not just heads of businesses and charities (who often aren’t disabled themselves - I imagine the 10 ppl above will have their background researched by a number of the disabled community - I imagine John from disability news service will have more to add on Thursday)

https://mission-remission.com - a cancer support online community

Employability Development Officer From Lothian - Officer enhances individuals' career prospects by designing, implementing, and managing employability programs. They build employer networks, facilitate work experience or internships, and deliver workshops on CV writing and interview skills

https://www.lightyearfoundation.org - charity making STEM accessible for children and young adults

https://www.inclusionlondon.org.uk - supports deaf/disabled organisations in London and campaigns for equality of those groups

https://www.waysforwellbeing.com -
work, group workshops and activities.

https://www.togethertrust.org.uk -
https://thedisabilitypolicycentre.org -The first think tank of its kind in the UK, dedicated to the development and advancement of policy, ensuring that accessibility is at the heart of legislation. Committed to the improvement of public services and policy reform. We will work to find practical solutions to change the lives of disabled people for good.

https://glostext.gloucestershire.gov.uk/mgIssueHistoryHome.aspx?IId=49327&Opt=0 - im not sure what a commissioning manager is but this guy seems very involved in getting more autistic ppl into the workplace on initial google search

Freedom 365 Limited I can’t find a website for but I did find the following (https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/14633043)
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/damianjosephbridgeman_freedom365-bridgemancommunityfoundation-inclusivemobility-activity-7354138696645844992-w6uJ
https://bridgemancommunityfoundation.org
Seems to be focused on ppl who use wheeled aids but look dodgy as hell

https://about.me/isaacsamuels
https://www.scie.org.uk/news/detail/scie-trustee-isaac-samuels-awarded-an-order-of-the-british-empire-obe/
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/isaac-samuels-obe-783091b3

First impressions is it doesn’t look like any of the individuals are disabled themselves (correct me if I’m wrong) and they’ve been picked for their expertise of getting disabled ppl in paid employment (as that’s the main way how disabled wellbeing improves - sarcasm) and not so much the physical and mental wellbeing of the disabled claimants

At first look it’s a total farce imo
- 9 Up 0 Down
- Reply
- Share
- Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
  Tomás · 11 hours ago
  
  @D Freedom 365 Ltd. are published today in the London Gazette for compulsory strike-off. Accounts overdue according to Companies House.
  
  2 Up 0 Down
  
  Reply
  
  Share
Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
Mark · 17 hours ago
The fact nobody offered a place for someone at Benefits and Work or similar organisations says it all.
- 11 Up 0 Down
- Reply
- Share
- Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
  K · 15 hours ago
  
  @Mark Absolutely, and the Disability Alliance. Also Mind and other helpful organizations.
  
  8 Up 0 Down
  
  Reply
  
  Share
Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
bronc · 17 hours ago
Absolutely typical, this is a middle class talking shop. How do these people know what it is like to struggle along on benefits with the DWP sword of Damocles hanging over your head?. No working class voices amongst this bunch. Is it any wonder so many working class people are voting Reform in the misguided belief that it is an anti establishment party. I'll bet it is the same thing with the Timms review committee. Our voices should be central to the whole process of 'benefit reform' not middle class do gooding liberals speaking for us.
- 14 Up 0 Down
- Reply
- Share
- Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
  Warren Tarbiat · 12 hours ago
  
  @bronc Agreed a lot, struggling workers voitng Reform and Green and the PMCers doing their talking shop who all go to the same posh crisp parties. Where are the people who have life long disabilities with more disadvantaged backgrounds who struggle with holding jobs?
  
  0 Up 0 Down
  
  Reply
  
  Share

News