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The Government has appointed Zara Todd as the Chair of the new Independent Disability Advisory Panel, which will focus on health and disability policy.
Zara will now be central to recruiting the wider panel, which will be made up of 10 deaf and disabled people and people with long-term health conditions.
Announced in the Get Britain Working White Paper, the independent advisory group is designed to provide guidance, recommendations and feedback to embed lived experience into policy design and delivery, aiming to build trust and strengthen relationships with the sector.
The Panel will run separately from the Timms Review of Personal Independence Payment, but expertise and insight will be shared between the two.
Build stronger links between disability groups and the government
Zara Todd, Chair of the Disability Advisory Panel, said: “I’m delighted to chair the new Independent Disability Advisory Panel and help ensure deaf and disabled people and people with long-term health conditions are heard in Government policy-making.
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“The Panel will aim to strengthen relationships between the Government and sector, and I look forward to working with other disabled people to connect lived experience with policy development. I hope that working collaboratively, we can build stronger links and build an approach that works for all.”
Since 2024, Zara has been the Chairperson of the Edinburgh Accessibility Commission, providing independent advice on accessibility for disabled people to the Edinburgh council. She is currently a member of the mobility and access committee for Scotland (MACS) she is a member of the British Council Disability Advisory Panel and is currently the convener of Disability Equality Scotland.
She has a long history of working with disabled people’s organisations, including the Alliance for Inclusive Education, the European Network on Independent Living, and Equal Lives. Zara is currently on the board of Disabled Peoples’ International and was previously the chair of Inclusion London. She is an experienced trainer and facilitator, delivering training in disability equality and human rights.
Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms added: “It is absolutely vital that the voices of deaf and disabled people and those with long-term health conditions are at the centre of our health and disability policy design, so I am pleased to announce Zara Todd as the Chair of new Independent Disability Advisory Panel.
“Zara’s extensive and wide-ranging experience, including designing and facilitating disability inclusive spaces, will be invaluable in guiding the collaboration we hope to build. I look forward to listening to, learning from and collaborating with the Panel over the coming months.”
