Employment: Disability

(asked on 21st October 2014) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to improve the support available to disabled people in the workplace.


Answered by
Mark Harper Portrait
Mark Harper
Secretary of State for Transport
This question was answered on 24th October 2014

Access to Work provides practical and financial support with the additional costs faced by individuals whose health or disability affects the way they do their job.

In response to the Sayce review, the government committed to spending an extra £15m on Access to Work by the end of this Spending Review period. Access to Work has been extended to support some pre-employment activity such as Supported Internships, Traineeships and certain work experience. We no longer apply mandatory cost share for small employers and we have removed the list of standard equipment Access to Work will not fund; instead Access to Work advisers are working constructively with employers and employees to identify where Access to Work can assist.

We have also introduced the Access to Work Mental Health Support Service. This can offer support to individuals with a mental health condition who are absent from work or finding work difficult. The service supports those experiencing depression, anxiety, stress or other mental health issues that are affecting their work.

Additionally, Fit for Work will be launched in late 2014 with a phased roll-out coming to a close by the end of May 2015. Fit for Work will deliver both a supportive occupational health assessment and general health and work advice to employees, employers and GPs, to help individuals stay in or return to work.

Finally, Work Choice provides disabled people with complex barriers to employment with a seamless service covering all stages of the journey into work. Short to longer-term in-work support is provided and progression into open unsupported employment is encouraged, where it is appropriate for the individual.

Work Choice can provide an indefinite period of support once the customer is in work in recognition of the fact that some Work Choice participants may need ongoing support to overcome barriers in work that cannot be met through normal workplace adjustments.

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