Eleven projects across the UK are the latest to receive between £39,000 and £150,000 each of previously awarded funding to explore aspects of how disabled people can live as full citizens in our society.

The projects, which include exploring employment opportunites, housing and social care services for disabled people, are the latest to be funded by DRILL (Disability Research on Independent Living and Learning) programme, a £5 million research scheme led by disabled people and funded by Big Lottery Fund.

The announcement coincides with DRILL’s call for new bids for funding, which is announced this week – it is looking to allocate another £1 million.

All DRILL projects are led by disabled people or people with long term health conditions, working in co-production with academics and policy makers.

The latest grants were approved by the DRILL Central Research Committee, which is chaired by Professor Tom Shakespeare. He said:

“Once again, a terrific set of applications to the DRILL scheme. The Research Committee are delighted to be able to support work about adapted housing, autism, young disabled people, disabled parents and other important issues, from all parts of the United Kingdom. It’s particularly rewarding to see the strong new relationships which are emerging between disabled people’s organisations and university researchers.”

Lead partners on the latest projects to be awarded funding are:

England

• Change (Leeds)
• Research Institute for Consumer Affairs (RICA)
• Sheffield Occupational Health Advisory Service
• University of Coventry
• University of Bedfordshire
• Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living

Northern Ireland

• Praxis

Scotland

• University of Stirling
• Horizon Housing
• University of Glasgow

Wales

• Cardiff University

Launched in 2015, the DRILL programme is fully funded by Big Lottery Fund and delivered by Disability Rights UK, Disability Action Northern Ireland, Inclusion Scotland and Disability Wales. DRILL is expecting to fund up to 40 research pilots and projects over a five-year period, all led by disabled people.

Potential projects have until 8th August to put their bids in for the new round of funding.

More information on DRILL can be found on the main Funding page.

Details of the funded projects can be found in the Projects Section