We are witnessing a dangerous surge in hate speech, discrimination, and dehumanising rhetoric against disabled people in the United Kingdom — fuelled by a toxic combination of government policy, harmful media coverage, and unchecked abuse on social media platforms.

Disabled people have no protection from this. 

Disabled people — especially those receiving vital support through benefits — are being vilified as "scroungers," "burdens," and "parasites" by both public figures and anonymous online users. Some of the most disturbing language echoes eugenicist ideology — with statements that we "shouldn’t be born," that we "drain the system," or that we should be "locked away" or "institutionalised." This is hate speech, and it is dangerously normalised.

Mainstream media outlets and high-profile personalities are complicit.

Tabloids regularly publish misleading and inflammatory stories that stoke resentment toward disabled benefit claimants. Politicians and commentators repeat harmful myths about disability, work, and “dependency” — all while eroding the very systems designed to ensure our survival and dignity.

Social media platforms are failing to protect disabled users.

Large accounts with tens or hundreds of thousands of followers are openly mocking disabled people, spreading disinformation, and inciting abuse. The reporting mechanisms are broken. The moderation is absent. And the harm is real.

This hateful language is fuelling violence against disabled people, harassment, mental health crises, and the further marginalisation of an already vulnerable population. It is creating a hostile environment for disabled people.

We demand urgent action from:

The UK Government: Publicly condemn hate speech against disabled people. Strengthen legal protections and hold politicians and media figures accountable for inflammatory rhetoric.

Social Media Platforms: Enforce meaningful moderation policies to tackle ableist abuse and ban repeat offenders, regardless of follower count or influence.

Regulatory Bodies and the Press: Crack down on media outlets and journalists who promote anti-disabled narratives under the guise of "debate" or “public interest.”

The Public: Recognise that disabled people are not disposable. We are human beings with the same rights, dignity, and worth as anyone else.

Disabled people have the right to live free from hatred, dehumanisation, and abuse.

Enough is enough. Stand with us to end the spread of hate against disabled people.

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