Let’s tackle the disability employment gap in London

Dave Thompson, former Army Chef and current Poppy Factory worker. After Thompson got in a car accident he suffered from memory loss and continuing health issues from having broken his ankles. He found work at the Poppy Factory, which has a proactive scheme to employ disabled Londoners.

Disabled people in London still fall a long way behind the rest of the workforce in accessing and retaining jobs.

Despite the UK having an increased employment rate, the gap between the employment rate for those with a disability and those without is stuck at around 27 percent.

Many disabled Londoners lack the higher-level qualifications necessary to access many of the jobs London creates. And while there are many government-sponsored schemes, a third of disabled Londoners were not aware of them. Yet another third were aware, but didn’t know how to access them.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

Modern employers should be recruiting, retaining and professionally developing disabled employees. And we have a plan to help them.

Our new report Tackling The Disability Employment Gap recommends these steps:

• The Mayor should set up a Disability Employment Taskforce to drive and support change.
• The London Enterprise and Action Partnership (LEAP) should create a distinct space on its Growth Hub website offering guidance to disabled entrepreneurs and should actively promote organisations which provide help and guidance for employers.
• Action plans to increase disability employment should be a requirement for companies to gain accreditation for the Mayor’s planned Good Work Standard.

And here’s where we need your help:

Add your voice to the chorus telling the Mayor to help close the disability employment gap>>