Press Release
3rd December 2008
Queen's Speech response: Welfare reform must deliver for disabled people
National disability charity United Response has welcomed legislation on welfare reform, announced in today's Queen's Speech, as an opportunity to debate employment opportunities for disabled people, but has expressed concern at the impact of penalties on those unable to access work.
Speaking about the Government's plans, Chief Executive of United Response, Su Sayer OBE, said:
"We support the Government’s objective of helping disabled people and those with mental health problems into work. Having a job is an important source of independence, self esteem and social inclusion for everyone, and is particularly important for many people with learning disabilities or mental health needs. However, employment rates for these groups remains low and as competition for jobs increases those furthest from the labour market will undoubtedly be the first to lose out, unless we take action.
"Much has been done to increase support for disabled people wishing to enter in to employment, such as the doubling of the Access to Work budget. But as take up of the scheme remains low, we believe that the Government must do more to increase awareness of such schemes in order for them to have a real impact on employment opportunities.
"In the current economic climate, the value of voluntary work experience and timebanking schemes as ways of people gaining new skills and developing confidence must also be recognised."
On tailored support, Su Sayer said:
"Personalised employment provision is vital in meeting the needs of hard to reach groups such as disabled people and those with mental health needs. The recommendation, made in Professor Gregg's independent report to Department of Work and Pensions, to extend this provision is welcome.
"In our experience, tailored support, such as that provided through supported employment schemes - whereby both disabled employee and their employer receive support from a job coach - is a tried and tested way of introducing someone to the workplace whilst offering the employer a trained and experienced employee. Supported employment also gives employers the opportunity to experience first hand the added value of employing someone with learning disabilities, but patchy and fragmented funding often makes it difficult for people to access the support they need."
Commenting on benefit sanctions, Su Sayer said:
"We are concerned that the proposed reform could see people with mental health needs, who unable to find work, either through a lack of support or through a lack of job opportunities, facing penalties and losing their benefit entitlement.
"We are also concerned that the emphasis on reducing numbers of people claiming benefits, and the use of private sector organisations on results-based contracts to provide support, means there will be strong incentives for providers to cherry pick those who need least support to find a job. This is a particular concern in an economic climate where job opportunities are already limited.
"We also need to work together to challenge discrimination in the workplace. Only last week a report highlighted the incidents of bullying experienced by disabled people at work. And Professor Gregg's review also recognises the reluctance of employers to recruit those with long term conditions as a barrier to disabled people securing employment and moving off benefits.
"We need to demonstrate to employers that recruiting disabled people is not about tokenism. In our experience, employers are often surprised by the added value that someone with learning disabilities, for example, can bring to a team; carrying out core repetitive tasks to a high standard and boosting staff morale."
Ends
For more information, please contact Sarah Bartlett or Jaime Gill in the United Response Press Office on020 8246 5237 or 020 8246 5122 or emailsarah.bartlett@unitedresponse.org.uk or jaime.gill@unitedresponse.org.uk
Notes to editors:
United Response is a national charity that works with people with learning disabilities or mental health needs - including some of the most vulnerable people in our society.
We provide everything from 24 hour care to a few hours of support a week. United Response is community based, working in many localities across England and Wales.
Our mission is to support people with learning disabilities or mental health needs to take control of their lives. We design our care and support around each person and work with them to achieve real inclusion, independence and citizenship for all. We support people across the whole spectrum of learning disability and mental health and have developed a range of specialisms in working with people with the most complex needs, particularly person-centred active support.
We are working towards a society where people with learning disabilities or mental health needs are equal participants and have access to the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.
We have won several awards for our pioneering work and for being a top employer. In 2007 alone, we were highly commended by the Charity Awards for our 'Good To Great' approach to providing support, while the Charity Times named us one of the best six charities to work for in the UK. We are experts in the development of accessible communications.
United Response was founded in 1973 by chief executive Su Sayer. We are a top 100 charity, supporting more than 1,500 people throughout the UK at any one time and employing more than 2,000 staff.