Asked by: Lord Shinkwin (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures have been put in place since the publication of the National Audit Office report, Supporting Disabled People to Work, to better measure the outcomes of their job centre offer, specifically around measuring (1) progress towards work; (2) time spent with customers; (3) customer satisfaction; and (4) data on satisfaction or quality of referrals to third party provision.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
Since the National Audit Office’s report on Supporting was published in March 2019, we have been working to fulfil all of its recommendations. For example, as part of the evaluations of Work and Health Programme and Intensive Personalised Employment Support, we will measure the impact of the programmes on participant employment outcomes.
We have invested in 60 minutes additional work coach time per claimant per year to offer ‘supportive steps’. For some claimants, this extra support may include activities and tailored support around work options, journey towards work and work preparation activity.
In September 2019, the Department created a Customer Experience Directorate to further our commitment to improve customer service.
We have strong oversight of DWP contracted employment provision. Since the publication of the report we have reviewed and revised our commercial processes.
Asked by: Lord Shinkwin (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to review the Voluntary Reporting Framework on Disability, Mental Health and Wellbeing, published in November 2018; and how many (1) employers have reported data, and (2) employees have had their data reported, via that Framework.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
There is no requirement for employers to notify the Government if they are using the Voluntary Reporting Framework on Disability, Mental Health and Wellbeing. As such, no data is held on the total number of businesses and related employees that are currently reporting on this. From November 2019 however those employers signing up to or renewing Disability Confident Level 3 Leader status have been required to use the Voluntary Reporting Framework, and other Disability Confident employers are being encouraged to use it.
Asked by: Lord Shinkwin (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of UK employers are currently signed up to Disability Confident; and what percentage of employers they estimate will be signed up by the end of 2020.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
As at 31 March 2020, 17,869 employers had signed up to Disability Confident (DC). This represents 1 per cent of UK employers in 2019, of which there are estimated to be 1.329 million (Business population estimates 2019).
The information requested on private and public sector employers is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
In the current climate it is not possible to estimate the number of DC employers at the end of 2020.
Asked by: Lord Shinkwin (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of UK (1) private, and (2) public, sector employers are currently signed up to Disability Confident; and what percentage of (a) private, and (b) public, sector employers they estimate will be signed up by the end of 2020.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
As at 31 March 2020, 17,869 employers had signed up to Disability Confident (DC). This represents 1 per cent of UK employers in 2019, of which there are estimated to be 1.329 million (Business population estimates 2019).
The information requested on private and public sector employers is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
In the current climate it is not possible to estimate the number of DC employers at the end of 2020.
Asked by: Lord Shinkwin (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the briefing by Kim Hoque and Nick Bacon Response to the UK Government's reforms of Disability Confident level 3, published in November 2019.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The analysis and recommendations in ‘A Response to the UK Government's reforms of Disability Confident level 3’ are a useful contribution to the debate about the future policy development of Disability Confident. On 6 January 2020, Department for Work and Pensions officials met with the authors, Kim Hoque and Nick Bacon, and Philip Connolly of the Leonard Cheshire organisation, to discuss the report.
In November 2018, we published the results of survey research commissioned from Ipsos MORI, which explored the effect that signing up to the Disability Confident scheme had on recruitment and retention attitudes towards disabled people. Half of all employers interviewed for the study said they had recruited at least one person with a disability, long-term health or mental health condition as a result of joining the scheme. Among larger employers, nearly two thirds reported the same. It was not technically possible to compare employers who are signed up to Disability Confident with other employers not signed up to the scheme but otherwise similar in every way.
As at 31 December 2019, over 15,000 employers had signed up to Disability Confident. We are not able to accurately estimate the total workforce currently working for Disability Confident organisations.
Asked by: Lord Shinkwin (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what evidence there is that organisations signed up to the Disability Confident Scheme (1) are more inclusive of disabled employees and jobseekers, and (2) employ disabled people in larger numbers, than employers who have not signed up to that scheme.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The analysis and recommendations in ‘A Response to the UK Government's reforms of Disability Confident level 3’ are a useful contribution to the debate about the future policy development of Disability Confident. On 6 January 2020, Department for Work and Pensions officials met with the authors, Kim Hoque and Nick Bacon, and Philip Connolly of the Leonard Cheshire organisation, to discuss the report.
In November 2018, we published the results of survey research commissioned from Ipsos MORI, which explored the effect that signing up to the Disability Confident scheme had on recruitment and retention attitudes towards disabled people. Half of all employers interviewed for the study said they had recruited at least one person with a disability, long-term health or mental health condition as a result of joining the scheme. Among larger employers, nearly two thirds reported the same. It was not technically possible to compare employers who are signed up to Disability Confident with other employers not signed up to the scheme but otherwise similar in every way.
As at 31 December 2019, over 15,000 employers had signed up to Disability Confident. We are not able to accurately estimate the total workforce currently working for Disability Confident organisations.
Asked by: Lord Shinkwin (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of (1) total employers, and (2) the total workforce, in the UK who fall within the Disability Confident Scheme.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The analysis and recommendations in ‘A Response to the UK Government's reforms of Disability Confident level 3’ are a useful contribution to the debate about the future policy development of Disability Confident. On 6 January 2020, Department for Work and Pensions officials met with the authors, Kim Hoque and Nick Bacon, and Philip Connolly of the Leonard Cheshire organisation, to discuss the report.
In November 2018, we published the results of survey research commissioned from Ipsos MORI, which explored the effect that signing up to the Disability Confident scheme had on recruitment and retention attitudes towards disabled people. Half of all employers interviewed for the study said they had recruited at least one person with a disability, long-term health or mental health condition as a result of joining the scheme. Among larger employers, nearly two thirds reported the same. It was not technically possible to compare employers who are signed up to Disability Confident with other employers not signed up to the scheme but otherwise similar in every way.
As at 31 December 2019, over 15,000 employers had signed up to Disability Confident. We are not able to accurately estimate the total workforce currently working for Disability Confident organisations.
Asked by: Lord Shinkwin (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of job outcomes for disabled people that can be definitively attributed to the Disability Confident Scheme; and what methodology they used to support that estimate.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The analysis and recommendations in ‘A Response to the UK Government's reforms of Disability Confident level 3’ are a useful contribution to the debate about the future policy development of Disability Confident. On 6 January 2020, Department for Work and Pensions officials met with the authors, Kim Hoque and Nick Bacon, and Philip Connolly of the Leonard Cheshire organisation, to discuss the report.
In November 2018, we published the results of survey research commissioned from Ipsos MORI, which explored the effect that signing up to the Disability Confident scheme had on recruitment and retention attitudes towards disabled people. Half of all employers interviewed for the study said they had recruited at least one person with a disability, long-term health or mental health condition as a result of joining the scheme. Among larger employers, nearly two thirds reported the same. It was not technically possible to compare employers who are signed up to Disability Confident with other employers not signed up to the scheme but otherwise similar in every way.
As at 31 December 2019, over 15,000 employers had signed up to Disability Confident. We are not able to accurately estimate the total workforce currently working for Disability Confident organisations.
Asked by: Lord Shinkwin (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what evaluation, if any, they are undertaking into the Disability Confident scheme, including how the scheme is viewed by disabled people.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The Department for Work and Pensions commissioned Ipsos MORI to conduct research with Disability Confident employers to understand the effect that signing up to the Disability Confident scheme has had on their attitudes and practices with regards to disabled people. We published the results of this research on 13 November 2018. The survey suggested the scheme has had a significant impact on disability employment practices, with half of those employers surveyed saying it had led to them taking on at least one disabled member of staff.
The Disability Confident Business Leaders Group is constantly reviewing the scheme to ensure it remains effective in helping employers recruit, retain and develop disabled people. We also receive regular representations from the Disability Charities Consortium and other disabled people’s organisations. These reviews and representations have led to recently announced improvements, including requiring Disability Confident Leader (Level 3) employers to use the Voluntary Reporting Framework to publicly report on their disability employment.
Asked by: Lord Shinkwin (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to introduce targets for closing the disability employment gap; and if so, what dates they plan to set to meet those targets.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
We announced on 2 November that new Disability Confident (DC) Leaders (Level 3) and Disability Confident Leaders applying for re-accreditation will need to use the voluntary reporting framework (VRF) to publicly report on disability employment. A copy of which is attached. Although there is flexibility in how employers can use the VRF, we expect that most DC Leaders would choose to combine it with their annual report and accounts.
We developed the voluntary reporting framework with a group of employers and disability stakeholders. It is deliberately designed to be flexible, recognising that different employers start in different places. It does not require reporting on pay and we have no current plans to require pay reporting.
Disability Confident leaders are now required to publicly report using the voluntary reporting framework and one of the measures the framework encourages is the number of disabled people employed.
The definition of disability in the voluntary reporting framework is self-declared, asking employees if they ‘consider’ themselves to have a disability. The framework is both voluntary and flexible, designed based on feedback from employers and other stakeholders. If we choose to go further in future, we will look at the case for alignment with the definition of disability in the Equality Act 2010.
We are committed to reducing the disability employment gap, and will report on progress regularly. We will consider the case for a target as part of our work on the new National Disability Strategy which we have committed to publish by the end of 2020.