We are delighted to share that the Electoral Commission has updated its guidance to better support Clinically Vulnerable voters from May 2026 - and our Clinically Vulnerable Families community helped make it happen! This is a significant step forward. While not all clinically vulnerable people are legally defined as disabled, many are — and under the Public Sector Equality Duty, officials must anticipate and remove barriers before they exclude someone.
Clinically Vulnerable Families' campaigning started in 2023 when voter ID was announced and we shared your voting experiences using #MyMaskMyVote and we started to engage with the Commission. In 2024, with your help, we carried out our 'Voting Accessibility Audit' and shared your data with the Commission. Though our direct advocacy work on reasonable adjustments and airborne mitigations for Clinically Vulnerable people, we highlighted the barriers many voters face and the practical steps needed to ensure safe, equal access.
As a result, the new guidance now recommends that polling stations provide:
-
Face masks (“See a mask, wear a mask”)
-
Improved ventilation (open windows/doors where possible)
-
Air filtration
​​
These changes recognise airborne infection risk as an accessibility issue, including the risks associated with removing a mask.
We are proud that your evidence, experiences and our collective effort directly shaped this progress. Thank you to everyone who contributed. This change belongs to all of us!
Read more...
NEW: Urgent Appeal – Please Support CVF
As the UK Covid-19 Inquiry prepares to hear its final module on The Impact on Society, we urgently need your support.
Clinically Vulnerable Families has worked without funding, for years, to give a voice to children and families too often forgotten.
​​​
However, our issues have evolved, and now we are not only fighting for our children’s right to education safely, but also for other key issues including:
-
Clean air in healthcare, schools, and public spaces
-
Access to vaccines and antivirals
-
Recognition of Clinically Vulnerable people as a distinct group under the Equality Act
To continue our work at the Inquiry and beyond, we do need your help. Every donation makes a difference. Please consider giving today so that together we can secure lasting protections for our families.
​​​​
Sign Our Gvt Petition! #KeepCovidBoosters
This autumn, millions of people at higher risk from Covid-19 are being excluded from the NHS booster programme. For Clinically Vulnerable people and their families, this decision removes a vital layer of protection against serious illness, hospitalisation, and death.
Clinically Vulnerable Families is calling on the government to reverse this policy and guarantee access to Covid-19 boosters for those who need them most.
Learn more about why this matters and what you can do to help:
Read our post
Add your name to the petition:
Sign our UK Govt petition
Thank you for your support!
Open letter to the JCVI & UK Government
Please read our open letter, signed by many leading scientists & health care professionals, We urge them to reverse the decision denying Covid vaccines to millions of Clinically Vulnerable people who continue to qualify for 'flu vaccines based on risk.
We need an inclusive society in the face of ongoing Covid-19 and other airborne infections
While some may view the pandemic as a thing of the past, we, understand that the ongoing presence of Covid continues to pose risks. Life-changing decisions have been forced upon many of us, and tragically, lives continue to be lost.
At Clinically Vulnerable Families, we firmly believe that more can be done to ensure that everyone can 'learn to live with Covid', without leaving any section of society behind.
Our supportive community is growing, and we have a dedicated team of volunteers who are committed to working towards meaningful changes. We recognise the importance of creating an inclusive society that allows all vulnerable people and household members to safely access workplaces, healthcare, schools, and public spaces.
If you are affected by these issues, we invite you to join our vibrant social media community.
Clinically Vulnerable Families
Building a Safer Future for All
