Disability BacukUp Language Code

	Wheelchair bound
Why...	People are not 'trapped' in their wheelchairs 24 hours a day.
	Wheelchair user or person who uses a wheelchair

	The disabled
Why...	Disabled people are individuals; 'The' denotes a group
	Disabled people

	People with disabilities
Why...	Disability is not the attribute of an individual (like an impairment), rather, disability is due to external factors
	Disabled people

	Disabled toilet
Why...	Adding 'disabled' before the word implies that the object is not working properly.
	Accessible toilet

	Invalid, Spastic, Handicapped, Mental, Abnormal
Why...	These are negative, hurtful words
	Disabled person

	Housebound
Why...	Implies the person is 'trapped'
	Complex needs, not able to regularly leave the house

	Problems
Why...	Negative word
	Impairments, difficulties

	to Suffers from ... (and terms like "shame" or "pity" or "victim of ...")
Why...	Implies guilt and sorrow
	Person living with ... , person who has ...

	Is ...(disability, e.g. "Jack is a Down Syndrome boy")
Why...	Identifies that person by their disability, 'is a Down Syndrome'
	Person who has ... (impairment) or person living with ...

	to Normal
Why...	Implies that disabled people are not normal
	Non-disabled person

	Able-bodied
Why...	Implies that disability lies within people's bodily functioning
	Non-disabled person

	Retarded, Stupid, Slow, Backward
Why...	Rude, hurtful words
	Learning difficulties, learning impairment

	People with learning disabilities
Why...	Disability is not the attribute of an individual (like an impairment), rather, disability is due to external factors
	People with learning difficulties, learning impairment

	Special needs
Why...	Some people argue that there is nothing 'special' about being disabled! Others argue that everyone is special!
	Additional needs, different needs

	The deaf
Why...	The deaf denotes a group
	deaf people

	Deaf and dumb
Why...	Deaf and dumb implies a deaf person may be stupid. Deaf people may have a voice but choose not to use it.
	Deaf, British Sign Language (BSL) User

	Crippled
Why...	Negative image
	Mobility issues or impairment

	'Disabled Services'
Why...	Implies that the service is not working properly.
	Services for disabled people

	Mentally ill, mental patient
Why...	Rude, hurtful words.
	Person with a mental health issues / impairment, Survivor / user of mental health services

	Crazy, maniac, insane
Why...	Rude, hurtful words.
	Emotional impairment

Sometimes people and organisations use one term to classify people with a single impairment when another term, which expresses a range of impairments, is more appropriate. Be aware of what you mean and what you are trying to say. Avoid some of the following words if you mean something else:
	Blind
Why...	There are a range of sight impairments
	Visually impaired

	Blind
Why...	Some people have limited sight but are not totally blind
	Partially sighted

	Deaf
Why...	There are different levels of deafness
	Hearing impaired

	Deaf
Why...	There are different methods of communication
	Lip reader

Disability BackUp Language Code

Hackney's Disability BackUp embraces the social model of disability; which states that people are disabled by barriers within society, rather than being "victims" of their impairments or conditions.

We are campaigning for equal opportunities and for a change in attitude; one way of working towards more positive attitudes is to change the language we use.

Disability Backup has made a guide of empowering rather than passive/negative language. Whilst we respect individual's preferences on how they would want to be described, we feel public services should embrace and use positive language.