Employment: Disability

(asked on 6th February 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to improve (a) pay and (b) employment opportunities for disabled people.


Answered by
Sarah Newton Portrait
Sarah Newton
This question was answered on 14th February 2019

The government is committed to building an economy that works for everyone. Through the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and the National Living Wage (NLW) the Government protects the lowest paid within our society, including disabled workers – who are explicitly listed as a group entitled to the correct minimum wage: https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage/who-gets-the-minimum-wage

If any worker believes that they might have been underpaid, they can contact Acas for free and confidential help and advice, on 0300 123 1100, or submit a complaint direct to HMRC online using the link https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pay-and-work-rights-complaints

Government has the ambition of getting 1 million more disabled people in to work. On 30 November 2017 we published Improving Lives: the Future of Work, Health and Disability, which lays out our strategy for achieving this ambition by improving both employment opportunities and retention in work for people with disabilities and health conditions.

Our policies are designed to ensure that disabled people can access the labour market, get the support they need and progress in their careers. For example:

  • We support disabled people to enter employment through initiatives like the Work and Health Programme, will support 220,000 disabled people over 5 years, and the Personal Support Package for those on ESA and Universal Credit equivalents.

  • Our Disability Confident scheme aims to help and encourage more employers to become good employers of disabled people. Over 10,500 employers have signed up to Disability Confident so far, and that number continues to grow.

  • Access to Work provides support of up to £57,200 per annum so that disabled people can stay in work and progress to senior levels, while having their support needs met. From 1 April 2019, the annual limit on individual Access to Work grants will be increased to £59,200.
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