Disability and heath strategy will encourage employers to recruit more disabled people

RA Now

A government strategy for getting more people with disabilities and health conditions into work will introduce a ‘One Stop Shop’ to encourage employers to hire disabled people.

Of the 11.5 million working age people in Britain with a long-term health condition, 6.5 million are classified as disabled, the Department for Work and Pensions has said.

The employment rate for those with a health condition or disability stands at 58% and 45% respectively, according to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey. This compares an employment rate of 77% for those without any kind of condition, the DWP said, on publishing its Disability and Health Employment Strategy.

The department plans to create an information portal that will outline employers’ obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and support them to at least meet these obligations.

Larger employers will be provided with account management to support them to attract, recruit and retain more disabled people with health conditions. Smaller companies will be given advice and toolkits.

Mike Cherry, national policy chairman at the Federation of Small Businesses, welcomed the announcement of the ‘One-Stop-Shop’. “The FSB has long called for better communication on the support available to small businesses when employing a disabled person,” he added

The government also plans to improve the Access to Work Programme to enable online applications that allow employers to apply on behalf of their employees.

 “Being disability confident means recruiting, promoting and retaining a diverse and talented workforce,” said minister for disabled people, Mike Penning. “If employers are not disability confident, they risk overlooking a wealth of talent.

“However, there is a still a long way to go. Looking at what people can do is the key to how we change perceptions of disability and ill health in our country. It is how we will increase the employment opportunities for disabled people in Britain and break down the barriers to work.”

Next year a delivery paper next year, which will build on feedback to the strategy, will be published.