What Is Disability History Month?

UK Disability History Month (UKDHM) is an event that aims to raise awareness and celebrate the history, difficulties, and achievements of people with disabilities. People with disabilities have long been discriminated against and face hardships that able-bodied people don’t have to think about. Disability History Month was created to challenge biases and myths and promote equality above all else.

Want to celebrate UKDHM this year and learn how you can help make an impactful change? Today, we’ll explore everything you need to know about Disability History Month before it kicks off later in the year.

When Is Disability History Month?

Disability History Month in the UK generally starts between the 14th and 20th of November and lasts for one month. The UKDHM states that this year’s celebration will run between 20th November and 20th December 2025.

What Is the Purpose of Disability History Month?

UKDHM is a chance for us to open the conversation about disability and its history, raising awareness for inequalities and celebrating the changes we’ve made so far. There are multiple purposes for focusing on this cause, including:

Raise awareness of the inequalities disabled people face in society every single day.
Educate everyone on the historical roots of disability inequality and the efforts of disabled people who’ve been fighting for inclusion and equality.
Highlight the importance of societal barriers disabled people face, being typecast and discriminated against based on their disability.
Celebrate disability history and the diverse contributions of disabled people and allies throughout the past.
Plan for the future and open the conversation up to what more we can do, and put plans in place to action it.

The Importance of Disability History Month

Unfortunately, disabled people haven’t always been treated fairly in the UK. Disability History Month gives us space to reflect on the past, even if it’s not the easiest thing to remember. Proper reflection and education of the younger generations ensures we know where we went wrong and prevent it from happening again.

During the 1800s and 1900s, disabled people lived in ‘workhouses’ and homes for the disabled. These homes were kept away from the rest of the world, ostracising disabled people from society. It wasn’t until World War 2, when over 300,000 people returned home with disabilities, that the rest of the world started to change its mind about the stigma surrounding the topic.

After decades of protests for equal rights and accessibility, the Disability Discrimination Act was launched in 1995. This law ensures that people with disabilities can’t be discriminated against in public services and employment. It has since been included in the Equality Act, but the importance remains as prevalent as ever.

What Is This Year’s UKDHM Topic?

Each year, Disability History Month focuses on one topic to target change and raise awareness for a specific issue. The topic for 2025 is ‘Disability, Life and Death’. This topic aims to challenge the recent questioning of disabled people’s right to life and discuss the history of assisted suicide.

The core issue is the Assisted Suicide legislation moving through Parliament this year, and how it questions disabled people’s right to an equal life. This challenges the right of everyone to lead a life with equal rights and opportunities.

Disabled people have faced prejudiced predictions from doctors for centuries, including shorter life spans, mobility issues and reduced independence. However, despite this, many people continue to lead long, fulfilling lives through utilising the correct support systems.

Assisted dying has been a controversial topic for years. It is the process of being granted a humane way to die through medical professionals, particularly for people with terminal illnesses and chronic disabilities that reduce quality of life.

However, many charities protest the fact that disabled people aren’t included in conversations about assisted dying—despite the conversation often surrounding disabilities. Some people living with disabilities even believe that they should justify their right to live after having assisted dying strongly recommended to them.

This year’s UKDHM prioritises the importance of including disabled people as part of modern society and making everyone feel welcome and valued, rather than pushing them towards the topic of assisted dying.

How to Get Involved with Disability History Month

Anyone who feels passionate about equality can get involved with UKDHM, no matter whether you have a disability or not. Your involvement can be as big or small as you feel comfortable with. Here is a step-by-step plan on how to raise awareness and make a positive impact:

1. Research Charities to Partner With

There are plenty of UK charities focusing on disabilities and equality, so do your research and decide which you feel passionate about helping. Some of the most popular organisations in the UK are:

However, there are many others available and looking for volunteers. It can be beneficial to first consider your focus, such as learning disabilities, autism or mobility impairment. This narrows down your search pool to find the best organisation to help.

2. Decide How You’re Going to Volunteer

Many people think helping a charity means giving money or volunteering at a local event. However, this isn’t always the case—you can get involved with UKDHM without pledging any money. Here are some of the best ways to volunteer your time:

Fundraise: Participate in a fun run, organise a bake sale or even go parachute jumping to raise money for your local charity.
Organise an event: Host a charity event to encourage more people to fundraise and get together for a good cause.
Educate: Educate yourself, then take your knowledge and teach others through campaigning.
Donate: Donate clothes, belongings or things you’ve made to charity shops, so all proceeds go towards the cause.
Social media: Use your platforms to spread awareness; make videos, share graphics and post on forums.
Join peaceful protests: Join any local peaceful protests happening related to disabled rights and equality.

3. Spread the Word

The best way to maximise your impact is to spread awareness and get people around you talking. Tell friends and family about what you’re doing to celebrate UKDHM, invite them to participate and enjoy a unique experience together, all for a good cause.

Fundraising on social media is a great way to show everyone what you’re doing for Disability History Month and spark them to consider whether they’re doing enough. The more people who get involved with UKDHM, the more change we can make in the country and beyond.

Let charities, such as UKDHM, know about your organised events so they can post them on their social media and websites. This will give your event more visibility and help raise more awareness! Disability History Month is all about working together towards our common goal of equality in the UK.

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