The government will help to get more disabled people into
work in the next decade, the Prime Minister said today,
as a new strategy is launched to break down employment
barriers.
Working with industry, government will be taking further
steps to help disabled people and people with health
conditions get into work, and remain and progress in
their roles.
These include new measures such as widening ‘fit note’
certification and providing dedicated training for work
coaches to support people with mental health conditions.
The UK has near record high employment levels with over
32 million people in work, including 600,000 more
disabled people in the last four years alone.
The Prime Minister said:
The path a person takes in life and in work should not
be dictated by their disability or health condition.
Everyone deserves the chance to find a job that’s right
for them.
I am committed to tackling the injustices facing
disabled people who want to work, so that everyone can
go as far as their talents will take them.
We recognise the hugely positive impact that working
can have on people’s health and wellbeing, which is why
we are determined to break down the barriers to
employment facing disabled people.
This strategy sets out how government, employers and
the health service will work together to get more
disabled people into employment, and help shift the
attitude of business and society to disability.
This is part of building a country that is fit for the
future and creating a fairer society, one that will
make sure everyone can reach their potential.
The strategy, called ‘Improving Lives: the Future of
Work, Health and Disability’, builds on last year’s Work,
Health and Disability Green Paper, which called for a
comprehensive change to the UK’s approach to disability
employment.
It sets out the steps government will take to transform
disability employment over the next decade and progress
so far as we build a country fit for the future. This
includes:
-
Extending fit note certification beyond GPs to a
wider group of healthcare professionals, including
physiotherapists, psychiatrists and senior nurses, to
better identify health conditions and treatments to
help workers go back into their jobs faster. Fit
notes are designed to help patients develop a return
to work plan tailored to their individual needs.
-
Conducting large-scale employment research pilots in
West Midlands and Sheffield which will include over
11,000 people. This research will gather evidence to
help improve services for those with health
conditions, supporting them get into and stay in
work, and helping make sure services are accessible
and inclusive for all.
-
2,000 work coaches have received training since 2015
to help them work with benefit claimants with mental
health conditions. The government is committed to
building on this with the introduction of an enhanced
training offer developed with a national mental
health charity.
-
£39 million investment to more than double the number
of employment advisors in an existing NHS programme
treating people with depression and anxiety
disorders.
-
Responding in full to the 40 recommendations of the
Stevenson/Farmer Review of mental health and
employers – including reforming Statutory Sick Pay,
improving advice and support for employers and
encouraging transparency. The government is also
encouraging other employers to take forward these
recommendations.
-
Over 5,000 companies have signed up to the Disability
Confident scheme to promote disability inclusion and
government is encouraging more companies to sign up.
-
Appointing an Expert Working Group on Occupational
Health to champion, shape and drive a programme of
work to take an in-depth look at the sector.
Work and Pensions Secretary said:
Everyone should be able to go as far as their talents
can take them, but for too long disabled people and
people with health conditions have been held back from
getting on in work.
Today we’ve set out an ambitious 10-year strategy to
end this injustice once and for all. By bringing
employers, the welfare system and health services
together we’re taking significant steps to ensure
everyone can reach their potential.
Health Secretary said:
Mental ill health can affect anyone, from any walk of
life at any time. For too long society has dictated
that people with physical and mental health issues or a
disability are a burden. Ensuring that more people with
disabilities or long-term health conditions can get
into and stay in work would not only enhance their
lives, but actually enrich our economy too.
This strategy will help shape the future for hundreds
of thousands of people with disabilities and mental
health issues as we continue to tackle the stigma that
so many people face when trying to get into and
progress in work.
Sarah Kaiser, Fujitsu’s Diversity and Inclusion lead,
said:
It is fantastic to see the Government is committing to
seeing more disabled people enter the workplace.
Fujitsu has significantly benefited from being
Disability Confident, giving us access to untapped
pools of talent and enabling us to increase our
retention of employees with disabilities.
We have also worked with our employees with
disabilities to ensure our products and services become
even more accessible, benefitting our customers too.
This is not just the right thing for employees, but
also significantly helps the employer.
Creating an environment where employees feel
comfortable to be completely themselves and tell us if
they have a disability allows us to put in place the
right adjustments to properly enable them to do their
work, whilst providing a working environment that
emphasises support. This not only results in increased
employee satisfaction but also performance, realising
value for the organisation too.
