Wednesday 12 November
2025, 09.30am, Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
MPs on the cross-party Work and Pensions Committee will take
evidence from disability groups and employer representatives as
it examines how barriers to work for disabled people can be torn
down. The Committee may ask about the experiences of disabled
people trying to get into work and the barriers they face, as
well as the role of businesses in effectively supporting disabled
staff. The main focus of the inquiry is the effectiveness of new
support programs, such as Connect to Work and Youth Trailblazers,
as well as Access to Work.
Access to Work, which covers the costs of adjustments for
disabled staff that are not the responsibility of the employer
through reasonable adjustments, will be of interest to the
Committee. Written evidence stresses the scheme's importance but
recent reporting has raised concerns that awards may be being
cut.
The session will also be the Committee's first opportunity to
hear from those affected by the potential impact of the Mayfield
Review, published on 5 November, which called for businesses to
make a larger contribution to help sick and disabled people start
and stay in work.
The Government has pledged to reach 80% employment before the end
of this Parliament and has made reducing the number of people out
of work to ill-health and disability a key part of this. The
employment rate among disabled people (53.1%) is lower than among
non-disabled people (81.6%), what is known as the disability
employment gap.
Witnesses
Panel 1 from 09.30
Michelle De Oude, Co-Chair, Greater Manchester
Disabled People's Panel;
Geoff Fimister, Head of Policy, Inclusion Barnet
and spokesperson, Campaign for Disability Justice;
Conor D'Arcy, Deputy Chief Executive, Money and
Mental Health Policy Institute;
Evan John, Policy and Public Affairs Advisor,
Sense.
Panel 2 from 10.30
Jamie Cater, Senior Policy Manger, Make UK;
Patrick Milnes, Head of Policy, People and Work,
British Chambers of Commerce;
Kate Nicholls OBE, Chair, UKHospitality
