Disabled people and their carers often find themselves isolated, with little knowledge of how to access disability groups. But there are many national and local organisations that can provide advice and support on various issues.

Nationwide organisations are often focused on specific disabilities, such as the Alzheimer’s Society, Down’s Syndrome Association, Arthritis Care, Action for Blind People and the Motor Neurone Disease Association. There are many more and these groups are able to provide disability-specific support to those affected and their carers. Many have local offices which organise various social events, providing opportunities for networking and meeting people with the same disability, as well as online discussion forums. They may also produce magazines or a helpline providing specialist advice.

Other nationwide organisations provide specific services, such as Remploy, a group that provides employment services to disabled people and works with partners and employers to support disability awareness in the workplace and provide sustainable employment solutions. Remploy advisers can help jobseekers in various ways, for example, to develop their skills, find a suitable career path and practice interviews.

Other providers of specific services include AbilityNet, a national group that helps people to use computers and the internet; the Alliance for Inclusive Education, a network that campaigns for the provision of support to disabled people in mainstream education; and the Disability Law Service, which provides information on all aspects of the law as it relates to disabilities. Dogs for the Disabled is a charity that trains and provides assistance dogs.

London 2012 was pivotal in promoting awareness of the role of disabled people in sport and the English Federation of Disability Sport can provide information on accessible facilities and specialist fitness equipment. Groups providing recreational activities for adults and children include the Bendrigg Trust and the Calvert Trust, both of which provide a variety of outdoor activity courses, such as canoeing, accessible cycling, horse-riding, climbing and bushcraft.

Groups focused in specific areas are worth contacting as these will be able to provide more tailored support and advice on local services. They include Disability Wales, Disability Action in Northern Ireland, Capability Scotland and several groups based around England. Groups campaign on issues varying from independent living and accessible housing to welfare cuts and access to public services. At a local level, information on disability groups may also be found on community noticeboards and at medical centres and hospitals.