Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to support people with arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions to return to and to stay in work.

We want to see disabled people and people with health conditions, including those living with arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions, to fulfil their full potential in work and go as far as their talents and drive can take them.

We are reforming current Government schemes that support disabled people and those with health conditions to return to and stay in work, for example through Access to Work. Access to Work is a grant scheme for individuals to cover the additional costs of working that arise as a result of a disability or health condition. We are also encouraging all employers to sign-up to the Disability Confident scheme which is designed to help employers access the talents of disabled people and retain them in the workplace.

The Work, Health and Disability Green paper set out plans to develop a 10-year strategy that focuses on transforming employment prospects of disabled people and people with long term health conditions – both by getting people into work as well as retaining those already in employment. The government is committed to ensuring disabled people have better employment outcomes.