The government and three other political parties have reached a new agreement on the disability field, which includes 25 initiatives aimed at reducing the municipalities’ administrative expenses. The agreement, the first of its kind since 2007, aims to free up funds by cutting back on bureaucracy and administration, which is considered disproportionately expensive in relation to the service citizens receive. Minister for Social Affairs and Housing, Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil, highlights that the agreement marks a new chapter in Danish disability policy, with the goal of creating greater predictability and security for people with disabilities and their families. “Today we use the money completely inefficiently in this area,” she states, adding that both money can be saved and quality improved. The agreement, also supported by the Liberal Alliance, the Radical Left and the Conservatives, however, has not set specific targets for how much should be saved. This is intentional to avoid unnecessary cuts in other areas, explains Rosenkrantz-Theil. Several parties, including the Danish People’s Party, the Denmark Democrats, and the Socialist People’s Party, have left the negotiations, dissatisfied with the focus on savings. Charlotte Broman Mølbæk (Socialist People’s Party) criticizes that the economy is prioritized over human needs. On the other hand, there are also positive elements in the agreement, such as easier access to aids and new training requirements for staff in secure institutions. Additionally, the agreement includes plans to improve the integration of people with disabilities in the labor market. Critics like Thorkild Olesen, chairman of Danish Disability Organizations, express concern over the long-term consequences of the planned savings, but also acknowledge that certain initiatives can improve conditions for people with disabilities. The agreement has also led to changes in the government’s original proposal on expanded use of coercion, where certain controversial elements have now been removed. This includes, for example, an option to lock residents in for up to ten hours a day if they are deemed a danger to themselves or others.

Read the danish version here