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Select Committee · Work and Pensions Committee

Disability employment gap

Status: Closed Opened: 3 Nov 2020 Closed: 2 Feb 2022 33 recommendations 5 conclusions 1 report

The Committee investigated the gap between the employment rates of disabled and non-disabled people and how the Department for Work and Pensions can better support disabled people in the labour market. We focussed on: Trends in the disability employment gap The economic impact of low employment rates for disabled people The assistance available to help … Show more

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Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Second Report - Disability employment gap HC 189 30 Jul 2021 38 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

5 items
1 Conclusion Second Report - Disability employment g… Acknowledged

It is regrettable that the publication of three key documents—the Green Paper, the National Strategy...

It is regrettable that the publication of three key documents—the Green Paper, the National Strategy and the Government’s response to the “Health is everyone’s business” consultation—has been delayed significantly over the course of our inquiry. The Government’s approach to the timing of their publication has severely limited Parliament’s opportunities to … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government details its existing goals for reducing the disability employment gap, commits to publishing annual statistical updates, and aims to achieve its current goal of seeing a million more disabled people in work by 2027.
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Department for Work and Pensions
13 Recommendation Second Report - Disability employment g… Acknowledged

The evidence we heard in favour of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) as a model...

The evidence we heard in favour of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) as a model of employment support is overwhelmingly positive. We welcome the fact that the Department has invested in trials of IPS. We urge the Department to bring forward publication of its analysis of data from these trials … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government's response outlines various broader initiatives from the National Disability Strategy and other programs to support disabled people into employment, but it does not specifically commit to adopting Individual Placement and Support (IPS) as a primary model for employment support or bringing forward the …
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Department for Work and Pensions
31 Recommendation Second Report - Disability employment g… Acknowledged

The pandemic has led to a sharp increase in the number of people working remotely.

The pandemic has led to a sharp increase in the number of people working remotely. It is clear from the evidence we heard that while remote working has created new access barriers for some disabled people, for many others it has aided their participation in the labour market. The evidence … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government highlights the recently published National Disability Strategy and its aim to improve disabled people's lives and employment, committing to reviewing engagement with disabled people. However, it does not specifically address the recommendation to amend legislation for a statutory right to request remote or …
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Department for Work and Pensions
37 Conclusion Second Report - Disability employment g… Acknowledged

It is encouraging to hear that the Department is beginning to take steps to rebuild...

It is encouraging to hear that the Department is beginning to take steps to rebuild its relationship with disabled people. But the Department still has a long way to go. Effective and meaningful engagement with disabled people, when developing policy proposals that will impact them, is one way the Department … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government describes its extensive engagement efforts for the National Disability Strategy and commits to reviewing how it engages with disabled people and their organizations.
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Department for Work and Pensions
38 Recommendation Second Report - Disability employment g… Acknowledged

The evidence we heard suggests that the Department’s engagement with disabled people on developing its...

The evidence we heard suggests that the Department’s engagement with disabled people on developing its National Strategy for Disabled People has been poor. We recommend that the Department immediately accept SSAC’s proposal for a protocol for engaging with disabled people. In response to this report, the Department should set out … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government details its extensive engagement through the UK Disability Survey and other events for the National Disability Strategy, and commits to reviewing its engagement methods with disabled people, but does not accept the SSAC protocol or provide a timeframe for publishing engagement information.
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Department for Work and Pensions

Oral evidence sessions

6 sessions
Date Witnesses
19 May 2021 Angus Gray · Department for Work & Pensions, John Paul Marks · Department for Work and Pensions, Justin Tomlinson MP · Department for Work and Pensions View ↗
28 Apr 2021 Catherine Hale · Chronic Illness Inclusion Project, Daniel Jennings · Epilepsy Action, Martin Sigsworth · Pocklington Trust, Professor Karen Walker-Bone · National Centre for Musculoskeletal Health and Work, Versus Arthritis, Rob Geaney · Royal National Institute for Deaf People, Sarah Rawlings · MS Society View ↗
24 Mar 2021 Angela Matthews · Business Disability Forum, Clare Gray · Shaw Trust, Huw Davies · British Association for Supported Employment, Matthew Ainsworth · Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Matthew Oakley · Social Metrics Commission, The Lord Shinkwin · The Centre for Social Justice Disability Commission View ↗
10 Mar 2021 Alex Kennedy · Rethink Mental Illness, David Stephenson · Mind, Dr Jed Boardman · Centre for Mental Health, Jane Harris · National Autistic Society, Lorenzo Torre · Three Cs, Matthew Harrison · The Royal Mencap Society View ↗
24 Feb 2021 Ben Baumberg Geiger · University of Kent, Dr Mark Bryan · University of Sheffield, Fazilet Hadi · Disability Rights UK, Gemma Hope · Leonard Cheshire, James Taylor · Scope, Professor Melanie Jones · Cardiff Business School, Tom Pollard · New Economics Foundation View ↗
20 Jan 2021 Dame Carol Black, Joshua Reddaway · National Audit Office View ↗

Who gave evidence

30 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Alex Kennedy · Head of Campaigns and Public Affairs Rethink Mental Illness 1
Angela Matthews · Head of Policy and Research Business Disability Forum 1
Angus Gray · Director and SRO for the Restart Scheme Department for Work & Pensions 1
Ben Baumberg Geiger · Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Social Policy University of Kent 1
Catherine Hale · Director Chronic Illness Inclusion Project 1
Clare Gray · Organisational Lead for Disability Advocacy Shaw Trust 1
Dame Carol Black — 1
Daniel Jennings · Senior Policy and Campaigns Officer Epilepsy Action 1
David Stephenson · Senior Policy and Campaigns Officer Mind 1
Dr Jed Boardman · Consultant Psychiatrist/Senior Lecturer in Social… Centre for Mental Health 1
Dr Mark Bryan · Reader in Economics University of Sheffield 1
Fazilet Hadi · Policy Manager Disability Rights UK 1
Gemma Hope · Director of Policy Leonard Cheshire 1
Huw Davies · Chief Executive British Association for Supported Employment 1
James Taylor · Executive Director, Strategy, Impact and Social C… Scope 1
Jane Harris · Director of External Affairs and Social Change National Autistic Society 1
John Paul Marks · Director General for Work and Health Services Department for Work and Pensions 1
Joshua Reddaway · Director National Audit Office 1
Justin Tomlinson MP · Minister of State (Minister for Disabled People, … Department for Work and Pensions 1
Lorenzo Torre · Job Coach Three Cs 1
Martin Sigsworth · Senior Employment Manager Pocklington Trust 1
Matthew Ainsworth · Assistant Director of Education, Skills & Work Greater Manchester Combined Authority 1
Matthew Harrison · Public Affairs and Parliamentary Manager The Royal Mencap Society 1
Matthew Oakley · Secretariat Social Metrics Commission 1
Professor Karen Walker-Bone · Director National Centre for Musculoskeletal Health and Work, Versus Arthritis 1
Professor Melanie Jones · Professor of Economics Cardiff Business School 1
Rob Geaney · Head of Campaigns and Public Affairs Royal National Institute for Deaf People 1
Sarah Rawlings · Executive Director of Research & External Affairs MS Society 1
The Lord Shinkwin · Chair The Centre for Social Justice Disability Commission 1
Tom Pollard · Head of Social Policy New Economics Foundation 1

Correspondence

1 letter
DateDirectionTitle
11 Jun 2021 From cttee A letter to the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work following up on t…