Employment

December 7, 2017 0

Improving Lives: Ministers back down on ‘mandatory’ activity for ESA support group

Ministers have backed down – at least temporarily – from plans to force all sick and disabled people on out-of-work disability benefits to take part in compulsory work-related activity. There was an outcry among disabled campaigners last year when the government’s work, health and disability green paper suggested that claimants of employment and support

Employment

December 7, 2017 0

Improving Lives: Government considers financial incentives for employers

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The government is considering offering financial incentives to employers to persuade them to recruit more disabled employees, as part of a 10-year strategy to secure jobs for one million more disabled people by 2027. The long-awaited Improving Lives strategy includes proposals across social security, the workplace and healthcare, in response to a consultation that

Employment

Philip Connolly speaking at a conference

November 30, 2017 0

Industrial strategy is ‘not fit for purpose’ due to ‘missing chapter’

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The government’s new Industrial Strategy is “not fit for purpose” and has a “missing chapter” because of its failure to address the needs of disabled people, say campaigners. The strategy, published as a white paper on Monday (27 November), aims to set out the government’s “long-term vision for how Britain can build on its

Employment

Martyn Sibley and Srin Madipalli in their wheelchairs in the crowd beside a hockey match

November 23, 2017 0

Takeover ‘is landmark sign of business noticing disabled people’s spending power’

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The sale of a business set up by two disabled entrepreneurs to the online travel giant Airbnb is a “landmark” sign that businesses are taking more notice of disabled people’s spending power, according to the duo. The Accomable website, set up by childhood friends Srin Madipalli and Martyn Sibley, has announced that it is

Employment

October 26, 2017 0

Access to Work: ‘Scheme’s future in jeopardy through cuts and incompetence’

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The future of the government’s Access to Work (AtW) disability employment scheme is in jeopardy because of “bureaucratic incompetence” and a cost-cutting drive to reduce people’s support packages, according to new research. The report, commissioned by Inclusion London, found that “shocking levels of delay, error, and the de-skilling of staff” were putting Deaf and

Employment

October 26, 2017 0

Access to Work: Ombudsman faces questions over investigation

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A parliamentary ombudsman took more than three-and-a-half years to complete an investigation into the government’s Access to Work (AtW) scheme, and then failed to make any recommendations for improvements, despite upholding more than 40 complaints. The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) yesterday (Wednesday) finally published its long-awaited report into 60 complaints it had

Employment

Ellen Clifford speaking into a microphone, watched by three other panel members

October 12, 2017 0

DWP ‘manipulated Access to Work figures to hide cuts and harassment’

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The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has been accused of manipulating statistics in an attempt to hide the ongoing barriers, cuts and harassment experienced by disabled people seeking support from a key disability employment programme. The claims followed the release of new figures which showed the number of disabled people approved every year

Employment

Leonora Bateman, head and shoulders, on a slant

September 28, 2017 0

Disabled woman forced to quit job by ‘Disability Confident’ government

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A disabled woman has been forced to quit her job because two “Disability Confident” government organisations refused to allow her to use one of the parking spaces close to the offices where she worked. Leonora Bateman worked for a company wholly owned by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), while the offices where

Employment

Frank Field speaking at a session of the work and pensions committee

September 28, 2017 0

Labour conference: Shock and outrage over Field’s minimum wage comments

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Disabled party activists have expressed shock and outrage after the Labour chair of the Commons work and pensions committee suggested that employers should be allowed to pay some disabled people less than the minimum wage. Among the critics were two disabled Labour MPs, Jared O’Mara and Marsha de Cordova, who joined many other disabled

Employment

September 21, 2017 0

Labour MP told to quit influential post after ‘offensive’ minimum wage call

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Disabled activists have called for a Labour MP to resign as chair of the Commons work and pensions select committee, after he called for employers to be allowed to pay some disabled people less than the minimum wage. Frank Field (pictured) made the call in a new collection of essays on employment and disabled

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