An inclusive economy benefits everyone

There are some 13.1 million disabled people in the UK but only just over half are in employment. Disabled people face a whole host of barriers getting on the jobs ladder, usually as a result of misconceptions about disability from employers, inaccessible transport  and our shambolic social care system.

Recruitment practices that don’t enable people to demonstrate suitability, inability to access skills training and outright discrimination all play a part.

Around three quarters of the working age population now enjoy all the benefits that employment brings. For disabled job hunters who continue to face a harsh landscape in the employment market, Ministerial boasts of high overall employment and commitment to “Fix social care” just add salt to the wound.

It’s a chronic waste that continues to damage the lives of individuals across the UK, as well as the whole economy. Some research estimates that £6 billion plus a year could be added to Treasury coffers through just 5% more disabled adults gaining employment. Think what that extra tax take would mean for the NHS or schools?

There’s been a baffling myriad of DWP employment programmes and support schemes put in place to close the gap over the years, some which were outrightly punitive for disabled people. Yet there’s little independent evidence, as the National Audit Office found this year, that DWP measures are effective.

 For employers, there’s confusion about what’s out there to support businesses to be inclusive.

Meanwhile, disabled people and people with health conditions are falling out of work at alarming rates. Despite our own estimate that seven in ten people have done this, the government worryingly does not hold data on the overall numbers. We only found this out through a recent parliamentary question for the charity by Daniel Zeichner MP.

Former Secretary of State Amber Rudd, one of five politicians holding the role in less than three years, encouragingly spoke about ‘changing the landscape of disability’. We now need government to reiterate this positive message of intent. A review of all its programmes and measures is urgently needed, to ensure they are fit for purpose and that taxpayer money isn’t being wasted.

There have been some hopeful signs. This week saw the end of a government consultation* on proposals to ensure employers are fully equipped to support those who are disabled or experiencing long-term health conditions.

Inclusive and flexible work practices, as well as investment in health and wellbeing of employees is now part of the DNA of progressive companies. Yet too many still operate to a 20th Century model, which can mean people with disability feel they have little option but to leave, with everyone losing out as a result.

With around 40% of people of working age predicted to have a long-term health condition by 2030 a more radical approach to ensuring a fairer, more flexible and accessible workplace is a no brainer.

Employers need to be held to account on how inclusive their workplaces really are. Without any leverage from Whitehall this simply isn’t going to happen fast enough. Mandatory reporting on gender pay gaps have transformed awareness of unfair disparities and there’s no reason a tougher approach to disability employment data wouldn’t have the same impact.

Flexible working is now widely desirable in almost any job role, yet it’s rarely in adverts. For disabled people and those with long-term health conditions it can be a game changer. Making a request for flexible working a right from day one in a new role would mean that the ability to gain or stay in work is not put at risk.

Outside the workplace, we can’t ignore the desperate need for a sustainable social care system. This is integral to realising a truly inclusive economy; for those who need it, support through social care can make the difference between staying and progressing in the workplace, or falling out of employment altogether. 

Whilst the government has committed to ‘bring forward substantive proposals to fix the crisis in adult social care’ in the Queen’s Speech, this was in reference to over 65’s. Working age disabled adults account for more than half of annual social care spending and this must be properly recognised  in reforms to ensure millions of disabled people are not excluded from the job market. 

Most organisations don’t set out to lose talented employees who are disabled or have long-term health conditions. Often there’s just a lack of awareness about what support and resources are out there to prevent this happening. The government must play a greater role in increasing awareness of what makes a difference, programmes that have been proven to work, as well as addressing the social care crisis, once and for all. 

Brexit on the 31 October or not, one thing is for certain. We need an economy in which disabled people can thrive in the workplace. This benefits everyone.

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For further information please contact Robert Boyland on robert.boyland@leonardcheshire.org or call 020 3242 0399.

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*Health is everyone’s business: proposals to reduce ill health-related job loss was a government consultation which sought views on different ways in which government and employers can take action to reduce ill health-related job loss. It ran from 11 July 2019 – 7 October 2019.