Equality Screening – Draft Disability Action Plan 2024-2028

S75 Equality And Good Relations Screening Form

General Information: Plan
 

This is a new plan.
 

Operational Area: Council Wide
 

Title: Disability Action Plan

Brief Summary:

This Action Plan has been developed following an audit of inequalities. It outlines our commitment to improving access, removing barriers to support inclusion, and promoting positive attitudes toward individuals with disabilities in all areas of life.

What is it trying to achieve? (intended aims and outcomes)

The action plan addresses the need for council to create a corporate approach to promoting positive attitudes towards disabled people and guides activities and policy to support this.

The actions within the plan aim to mitigate or remove barriers identified to ultimately improve both service provision and quality of life for our local communities and visitors.

It will also support council to fulfil the duties set out in the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended) and Section 49A and 49B of the Disability Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 2006. 

Who owns and who implements each element of the function, service, policy, procedure, project, strategy, plan or guidance?

This is an organisation wide policy for both staff and service users.

Senior Leadership Team - overall coordination.

Heads of Service - implementation in the specified areas and achievement of actions.

Head of Policy and Community Planning / Policy Section – review and monitoring of actions.

Other policies etc. which have a bearing on this function, service, policy, procedure, project, strategy, plan or guidance?

Legislation:
Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended) and Section 49A and 49B of the Disability Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 2006. 

Strategies: 
Equality Scheme (renewed 2020)
Good Relations Audit and Strategy 2023
Every Customer Counts Policy
Local Government Code of Conduct
“Together building a United Community” Strategy May 2013
Complaints Policy
Economic Development Strategy
Corporate Strategy 2020-2024
Corporate Business Plans 2023
Age Friendly Causeway Strategy and Acton Plan 2024-29


Studies, Publications, Statistics and Guidance:
The Executive Office, Racial Equality Strategy 2015-25
The Equality Commission NI, Key Inequalities in Employment 2018
Northern Ireland Assembly, Multiple Deprivation in Northern Ireland, Research Paper 2018
Carers UK, Will I Care? 2019
The Equality Commission NI, A Welcoming and Inclusive Workplace 2020
NI Life and Times Survey 2021
Carers UK, The State of Caring in Northern Ireland 2021
Trends in Domestic Abuse incidents and crimes recorded by the PSNI 2020/21
Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency – Census 2021 
RNIB, Manifesto for the Northern Ireland Assembly Elections 2022
Department for Communities, Disability within the Northern Ireland Labour Market 2022
CIPD Resourcing and talent planning survey 2022
A commitment to Carers 2022
Causeway CYPSP Locality Planning Group Young People’s Mental Health Survey 2022/23
J District Hate Crime Statistics 2023
Disability Action, Disabled Peoples Election Manifesto 2023

Available Evidence

Evidence to help inform the screening process may take many forms.  Public authorities should ensure that their screening decision is informed by relevant data.
What evidence/information (both qualitative and quantitative have you gathered to inform this function, service, policy, procedure, project, strategy, plan or guidance?  Specify details for relevant Section 75 categories.
 

It is proposed that all Section 75 categories will be considered via:

• Quantitative evidence has been sourced via the NI Census in 2021 and the Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey 2021.

Section 75 Category
Details of Evidence/Information:

•   The Census statistics in 2021 collated by NISRA statistics detailed the usual resident population of Causeway Coast & Glens Local Government District to be 141,746 accounting for 7.45% of the N.I. total.     Statistical information with regards to the districts makeup and individuals therein was also reviewed. 

•   It is also clear that the majority of our borough is rural in composition and therefore the specific needs of individuals with disabilities who live in rural areas were also considered during screening.  

•   According to benefit statistics from the Department of Communities in May 2024, 210,410 claimants were in receipt of Personal Independence Payment (PIP).  Of this total:
      • 42% (88,260) of claims in payment were awarded the enhanced rate for both the daily living and mobility components.
      • 45% (94,920) of claims in payment have a main disabling condition recorded under the highest medical category of ‘Psychiatric disorders (Mental Illness)’.

Religious Beliefs 

The 2021 Census outlined:

Religion / religion brought up in:    
Census 2021                                               CC&G Borough Council            Northern Ireland
Roman Catholic                                             40.12%                                      45.70%
Protestant & Other Christian
(including Christian related)                           51.17%                                     43.48%
Other Religions                                                0.78%                                       1.50%
None/Not stated                                               7.94%                                       9.32%



Staff breakdown by Religious Belief / Community Background                 (Figures as at 6 June 2024)

Religious Belief / Community Background               Gender            Number of Staff 

Roman Catholic                                                         Male                 140 (21%)
                                                                                 Female              127 (19%) 
Protestant                                                                  Male                  245 (36%)
                                                                                 Female               132 (19%)
Non-Determined                                                        Male                    21 (3%)
                                                                                 Female                 17 (2%)
Total                                                                                                      682

In terms of religion or religion brought up in the 2021 Census indicates that our resident’s religious beliefs are comparable to those in Northern Ireland in that there are 2 predominant groupings i.e. Roman Catholic and Protestant.  However, we also have an increasing number of individuals (7.94%) who do not practice a specific religion or who do not wish to be grouped into a specific religion.  In addition, we have a small number of individuals who practice other religions.  The census data does not support cross analysis by disability and religion.

All actions within the Disability Action plan support people with disabilities irrespective of their religious belief.  However, a consultation process will support the identification of any currently unidentified impacts.

Political Opinion

The Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey (2021) provides the following information on the political parties’ people in Northern Ireland feel closest to (this information is not available at local government level) :

                                                                          %
DUP/Democratic Unionist Party                       12
Sinn Féin                                                          13
Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)                             13
Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP)   13
Alliance Party                                                   19
Green Party                                                       5
Other Party                                                        4
None of these                                                   11
Other answer                                                     1
Don't know                                                         9

The census data does not support cross analysis by disability and political opinion.

All actions within the Disability Action plan support people with disabilities irrespective of their political opinion.  However, a consultation process will support the identification of any currently unidentified impacts.

Racial Group

On Census Day 21 March 2021 the resident population was:  
 
Census 2021                           CC&G Borough Council             Northern Ireland
White                                             98.55%                                    96.55%
Irish Traveller                                   0.03%                                     0.14%
Roma                                               0.01%                                     0.08%
Indian                                               0.15%                                     0.52%
Chinese                                            0.22%                                     0.50%
Filipino                                              0.10%                                     0.23%
Pakistani                                           0.03%                                     0.08%
Arab                                                  0.03%                                     0.10%
Other Asian                                       0.10%                                     0.28%
Black African                                     0.12%                                     0.42%
Black Other                                       0.04%                                     0.16%
Mixed                                                0.51%                                     0.76%
Other ethnicities                                0.11%                                     0.19%

The 2021 Census detailed 98.55% of our population is white, with 1.45% from an ethnic background. The largest minority ethnic groups in Causeway Coast and Glens are the Chinese (0.22%), Indian (0.15%) and Filipino (0.10%). The proportion of ethnic groups from a non-white background has increased in Causeway Coast and Glens over the last 10 years by 0.95% slightly increasing the diversity in our population.

Country of Birth (basic detail)
Table MS-A16: Census 2021                            CC&G Borough Council
Europe: United Kingdom: Northern Ireland               127,171
Europe: United Kingdom: England                               5,991
Europe: United Kingdom: Scotland                              1,556
Europe: United Kingdom: Wales                                     234
Europe: Republic of Ireland                                          1,931
Europe: Other EU countries                                         2,733
Europe: Other non-EU countries                                    149
Africa                                                                              384
Middle East and Asia                                                      825
North America, Central America and Caribbean            499
South America                                                                  55
Antarctica, Oceania and Other                                       219


Number of people born outside UK/Ireland in CC&G Borough Council for the years 2011 and 2021 
Census 2021
                                                                              2011        2021
Number of people born outside UK/Ireland           4,100       4,900

Of the total population in Causeway Coast and Glens 3.45% of our residents were born outside the UK/Ireland as demonstrated in the table above this is an increase over the last 10 years of 0.56%.

National identity (person based)
Census 2021                                    CC&G Borough Council
British only                                                     38%
Irish only                                                         22%
Northern Irish only                                          23%
British & Irish only                                          <1%
British & Northern Irish only                             9%
Irish & Northern Irish only                                2%
British, Irish & Northern Irish only                    1%
Other national identities                                   5%

Main Language
Census 2021                               CC&G Borough Council
English                                                         98%
Other languages                                            2%

Although our population is becoming more diverse 97.8% speak English as their main language.  The other main languages spoken are Polish, Irish and Portuguese closely followed by Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese and Cantonese.

Main Language (Count)
Census 2021 MS-B12a
All usual residents aged 3 and over         CC&G Borough Council
English                                                         134,147 (97.80%)
Polish                                                               1,524 (1.11%)
Lithuanian                                                              49 (0.04%)
Irish                                                                      231 (0.17%)
Romanian                                                              79 (0.06%)
Portuguese                                                            39 (0.03%)
Arabic                                                                     63 (0.05%)
Bulgarian                                                                66 (0.05%)
Chinese (not otherwise specified)                          68 (0.05%)
Slovak                                                                     32 (0.02%)
Hungarian                                                               18 (0.01%)
Spanish                                                                   50 (0.04%)
Latvian                                                                     36 (0.03%)
Russian                                                                    29 (0.02%)
Tetun                                                                          6 (0.00%)
Malayalam                                                               24 (0.02%)
Tagalog/Filipino                                                       46 (0.03%)
Cantonese                                                               69 (0.05%)
Other languages                                                    584 (0.43%)
All Residents                                                   137,160

It is important to note that while other family members may be able to support translation, 1.30% or 750 households do not speak English as their main language and therefore would require translation services.

Household language (Count)
Census 2021 MS-B11a                             CC&G Borough Council
All people aged 16+ years have
English as a main language.                          56,063 (97.37%)
At least one but not all people aged
16+ years have English as a main language.      600 (1.04%)
No people aged 16+ years have English
as a main language, but at least one
person aged 3-15 years has English
as a main language.                                            163 (0.28%)
No people have English as a main language.     750 (1.30%)
                                                                           57,576

Knowledge of Irish 
Census 2021                                          CC&G Borough Council
No ability in Irish                                                  90%
Some ability in Irish                                             10%

Knowledge of Ulster-Scots 
Census 2021                                         CC&G Borough Council
No ability in Ulster-Scots                                     81%
Some ability in Ulster-Scots                                19%



Staff breakdown by Racial Group / Ethnic Origin             (Figures as of 6 June 2024)

Racial Group / Ethnic Origin                       Number of Staff
Other                                                              2 (0.29%)
White / White European                             628 (92.08%)
Unknown                                                      52 (7.63%)
Total                                                           682

The census data does not support cross analysis by disability and race.

All actions within the Disability Action plan support people with disabilities of all racial backgrounds.  However, a consultation process will support the identification of any currently unidentified impacts. The on-line consultation process will support translation to the user’s preferred language.

Age

Age: (NISRA Census 2021 – Table MS-A02) 

                           CC&G Borough Council               Northern Ireland
0-4 years                        7,973 (5.62%)                  113,820 (5.98%)
5-9 years                        8,878 (6.26%)                  124,475 (6.54%)
10-14 years                     9,113 (6.43%)                  126,918 (6.67%)
15-19 years                     8,326 (5.87%)                  113,203 (5.95%)
20-24 years                     7,873 (5.55%)                  111,386 (5.85%)
25-29 years                     7,713 (5.44%)                  116,409 (6.12%)
30-34 years                     8,460 (5.97%)                  126,050 (6.62%)
35-39 years                     8,528 (6.02%)                  127,313 (6.69%)
40-44 years                     8,513 (6.01%)                  122,163 (6.42%)
45-49 years                     9,322 (6.58%)                  121,670 (6.39%)
50-54 years                   10,412 (7.35%)                  130,967 (6.88%)
55-59 years                   10,150 (7.16%)                  129,276 (6.79%)
60-64 years                     9,171 (6.47%)                  113,049 (5.94%)
65-69 years                     7,769 (5.48%)                    93,464 (4.91%)
70-74 years                     6,990 (4.93%)                    83,467 (4.39%)
75-79 years                     5,659 (3.99%)                    66,377 (3.49%)
80-84 years                     3,718 (2.62%)                    43,776 (2.30%)
85-89 years                     2,126 (1.50%)                    25,879 (1.36%)
90+ years                        1,051 (0.74%)                    13,512 (0.71%)
TOTAL Population       141,745                            1,903,174
 

Statistics in the table above highlight an ageing population.  

Age Comparison for CC&G Borough Council for the years 2011 and 2021 
Census 2021
Age Range (years)                       2011              2021
0-14                                               19%              18%
15-39                                              33%             29%
40-64                                              33%             34%
65+                                                15%               19%

It can be seen from the 2 tables above, that in the 44 and under groupings our borough statistics have decreased and are lower than the Northern Ireland average.  Whereas the number of individuals aged 45 years and upwards has increased and our percentages in these groupings are higher than the Northern Ireland Average.

This is a trend which is forecast to continue as identified in NISRA’s 2020-based Interim Population Projections for Northern Ireland, which states that "by mid-2027, the number of people aged 65 and over is projected to overtake the number of children" . 

Staff breakdown by Age         (Figures as at 6 June 2024)
Age Group                            Number of staff
18-21                                      2 (0.3%)
22-29                                    21 (3.1%)
30-34                                    39 (5.7%)
35-39                                    67 (9.8%)
40-44                                    84 (12.3%)
45-49                                    83 (12.2%)
50-54                                  139 (20.4%)
55-59                                   112 (16.4%)
60-64                                     94 (13.8%)
65-120                                   41 (6.0%)
Total                                     682

The census data does not support cross analysis by disability and age.

All actions within the Disability Action plan support people with disabilities of all ages.  However, a consultation process will support the identification of any currently unidentified impacts. The on-line, paper or telephone consultation options will support all age groups.

Marital Status

Marital status by former legacy Council area (most recent figures available from Census 2021):

Marital and civil partnership status MS-A30: Census 2021        CC&G Borough Council      Northern Ireland
Single (never married or never registered a civil partnership)        40,720 (35.67%)             576,708 (38.07%)
Married                                                                                            54,576 (47.81%)             690,509 (45.59%)
In a civil partnership                                                                             155 (0.14%)                   2,742 (0.18%)
Separated (but still legally married or still legally
in a civil partnership)                                                                         3,795 (3.32%)                 57,272 (3.78%)
Divorced or formerly in a civil partnership which is
now legally dissolved                                                                        7,258 (6.36%)                 91,128 (6.02%)
Widowed or surviving partner from a civil partnership                      7,655 (6.71%)                 96,384 (6.36%)
All usual residents aged 16 and over                                                  114,159                             1,514,743

Causeway Coast and Glens follows a similar pattern to that of Northern Ireland in that the highest percentage of residents are married (47.81% compared with the NI average of 45.59%).  The patterns are all higher than the NI average with the exception of Individuals in a civil partnership which at 0.14% is slightly lower than the NI average of 0.18%.  

Same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland has been legal since 13 January 2020. (Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019)

Staff breakdown by Marital Status                 (Figures as at 6 June 2024)
Marital Status                                  Number of staff
Unknown                                            55 (8.06%)
Civil Partnership                                  4 (0.59%)
Divorced                                            17 (2.49%)
Married                                            391 (57.33%)
Other                                                 25 (3.67%)
Separated                                         14 (2.05%)
Single                                              172 (25.22%)
Widowed                                             4 (0.59%)
Total                                                  682

The census data does not support cross analysis by disability and marital status.

All actions within the Disability Action plan support people with disabilities of all marital status.  However, a consultation process will support the identification of any currently unidentified impacts. 

Sexual Orientation

The 2021 census for the first time included a question on sexual orientation.  

Sexual orientation
MS-C01: Census 2021                      CC&G Borough Council             Northern Ireland
Straight or heterosexual                      104,205 (91.28%)                 1,363,859 (90.04%)
Gay or lesbian                                            906 (0.79%)                        17,713 (1.17%)
Bisexual                                                      596 (0.52%)                        11,306 (0.75%)
Other sexual orientation                             135 (0.12%)                          2,597 (0.17%)
Prefer not to say                                      4,502 (3.94%)                        69,307 (4.58%)
Not stated                                                3,816 (3.34%)                        49,961 (3.30%)
All usual residents aged 16 and over          114,160                                 1,514,743



Sexual orientation by broad age bands
MS-C02: Census 2021                   CC&G Borough Council                  Northern Ireland
All usual residents aged
16 and over                                             114,158                                     1,514,745
Straight or heterosexual                          104,203 (91.28%)                 1,363,859 (90.04%)
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, other
sexual orientation                                        1,637 (1.43%)                        31,617 (2.09%)
Prefer not to say/ Not stated                        8,318 (7.29%)                     119,269 (7.87%)
Usual residents aged 16-24 years             14,576                                   201,369
Straight or heterosexual                             13,099 (89.87%)                   175,346 (87.08%)
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, other
sexual orientation                                            517 (3.55%)                         9,283 (4.61%)
Prefer not to say/ Not stated                           960 (6.59%)                       16,740 (8.31%)
Usual residents aged 25-39 years                24,700                                    369,770
Straight or heterosexual                                22,732 (92.03%)                    330,734 (89.44%)
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, other sexual
orientation                                                           649 (2.63%)                       13,991 (3.78%)
Prefer not to say/ Not stated                            1,319 (5.34%)                       25,045 (6.77%)
Usual residents aged 40-64 years                47,568                                   617,126
Straight or heterosexual                                44,419 (93.38%)                   571,502 (92.61%)
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, other sexual
orientation                                                           419 (0.88%)                       7,459 (1.21%)
Prefer not to say/ Not stated                            2,730 (5.74%)                     38,165 (6.18%)
Usual residents aged 65+ years                    27,314                                 326,480
Straight or heterosexual                                 23,953 (87.69%)                  286,277 (87.69%)
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, other sexual
orientation                                                             52 (0.19%)                           884 (0.27%)
Prefer not to say/ Not stated                            3,309 (12.11%)                    39,319 (12.04%)

The census asked everyone 16 and over to complete the question on sexual orientation.  The census data does not support cross analysis by disability and sexual orientation.

The council currently has no data specific to its workforce.

All actions within the Disability Action plan support people with disabilities irrespective of their race.  However, a consultation process will support the identification of any currently unidentified impacts. The on-line consultation process will support translation to the user’s preferred language.
 

Men and Women Generally Gender:  

(Census 2021 – Table MS-A07)  
                             CC&G Borough Council          Northern Ireland
Male                        69,848 (49.28%)                   936,132 (49.19%)
Female                    71,898 (50.72%)                  967,043 (50.81%)



Staff breakdown by Gender     (Figures as at 6 June 2024)

Gender                             Number of staff
Male                                  406 (59.53%)
Female                              276 (40.47%)
Total                                   682

The census data does not support cross analysis by disability and gender.  However, the Family Resources Survey 2022 to 2023 identified over the last 10 years there were a greater number of females than males reporting a disability.

All actions within the Disability Action plan support people of all genders.  However, a consultation process will support the identification of any currently unidentified impacts.