News

The government has set out plans to help more disabled people into work over the next decade. Under 50% of people with a disability are in work compared with 80% of non-disabled people. These employment rates fall to just 5.8% for people with a learning disability.

We are expecting further investment in supported internships and Access to Work will be "significantly enhanced" over the coming year. The paper also points to "new targeted support for learning disabled social service users and secondary mental health support service users".

A report Barriers to Work, commissioned by Inclusion London, has found evidence of significant problems with the Government’s disability employment support programme, Access to Work

The report recommends ways to improve Access to Work and reduce the adverse impacts that changes to the scheme are currently having on deaf and disabled people reliant on it to stay in employment. The recommendations have been put together and are supported by deaf and disabled people under the #StopChanges2AtW campaign.

Nicola Sturgeon has announced the Scottish Government’s plans for addressing equality and human rights over the year ahead. Actions relating to equality for people with a disability include:

  • Delivering for disabled people through our Disability Delivery Plan - commended by the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The New Local Government Network (NLGN) has published a document about use of the social value within procurement. The report is based on a workshop held in Birmingham in December 2016, with attendees from local authorities and the private sector. It looks at the background to including social value in procurement processes, as well as how its aims can best be achieved in practice.

BASE has submitted a written response with a number of recommendations to the Improving Lives green paper. Our response was formulated following discussions with members.

The full document runs to 19 pages but we have summarised our main recommendations below:

The Work and Pensions Committee has published its report about the Disability Employment Gap. The report recommends a greater focus on retention, better use of specialists, and again calls for a senior disability work coach role to be reintroduced. It suggests that employers who recruit people with disabilities could receive National Insurance incentives.

Government publishes "Improving Lives The Work, Health & Disability Green Paper"  

The long-awaited Green Paper on disability employment has been launched . The Government is seeking views on what it will take to transform employment prospects for disabled people and people with long-term health conditions via a consultation [closing date 17 February 2017] 

The Disability Apprenticeships taskforce led by Paul Maynard MP has published its recommendations. BASE submitted views earlier this year.

Recommendations

BASE has submitted a short paper to an apprenticeships taskforce detailing its views on access to apprenticeships for people with learning disabilities and other hidden impairments. The taskforce has been formed by Justin Tomlinson MP, Minister for Disabled People, and Nick Boles MP, Minister for Skills, and is to be chaired by Paul Maynard MP. We understand that the taskforce will begin its work soon and has sought views from a number of organisations.

BASE has submitted evidence to the Work and Pension Committee's inquiry into halving the disability employment gap. You can view it by clicking on the pdf attachment below.

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