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The UK Government Want More of Us Working, So Why Do They Make It So Hard?
The support available for disabled people isn’t fit for purpose
Disabled people in the UK are entitled to reasonable adjustments at work under the 2010 Equality Act. What the law says and what happens in reality can be very different. I’ve been forced to chase adaptations at work in the past, and I’m not alone, with 1 in 8 disabled people waiting over a year for what they are legally entitled to.
Last week, the Work and Pensions Secretary, Liz Kendall, announced £6billion in cuts to welfare benefits. Kendall claimed too many people were “taking the mickey” and claiming benefits instead of working. She claimed a billion of those savings would be invested in employment support. The government haven’t outlined what support will be available using this money, and I’m cynical.
Support is already available to help disabled people at work: money from the government to reduce employers' costs. It sounds great, except this support is slow, bureaucratic and not fit for purpose.
Access to Work is a government scheme that pays most of the cost of adaptations at work, including mental health support, adaptations to the workplace, software and coaching. However, current waiting times for an Access to Work assessment…
