Disability Rights UK is calling on all members to demand expansion of Access to Work
Disability Rights UK has worked with a group of Disabled People’s Organisations* to produce a report calling on all political parties to commit to doubling the numbers using Access to Work in 3 years and significantly improve the programme.
The report, Access to Long-term Unemployment - or Access to Work?, notes that problems with Access to Work are actually stopping people working.
There is currently a gap between the desire and need for more disabled people to be able to work and the lack of effective support to do so.
Access to Work has a proven success record but it serves only 35,000 people a year compared to 3.3 million disabled people of working age.
We know our members, and disabled people more broadly, want this to change. If we all ask the candidates standing for election in our area if they will commit to our demands it will raise the profile of the issues in all political parties. We have also sent it to Ministers and Shadow Ministers. After the election we will press the new government for action.
We would urge you to make two demands of prospective parliamentary candidates. This could be in writing, on their websites, via social media or when attending their meetings.
Our two demands of candidates are that they:
- Commit to doubling the numbers getting access to work in 3 years without clamping down on disabled people who happen to have higher costs
- Commit to providing effective Access to Work support for people with different impairments, in different types of employment and self-employment
Do let us know how they respond! Contact us at webmaster@disabilityrightsuk.org
More detailed recommendations are in the report.
*The organisations who produced the report are:
- Action on Disability & Work UK
- British Deaf Association
- Disability Rights UK
- Essex Coalition of Disabled People
- GRAEAE
- South East Network of Disabled People’s Organisations
- SPECTRUM
- Universal Inclusion / Fluidity
If you are not already a member and your organisation, or you as an individual, agree with the work we are doing and would also like a chance to contribute to what we do and say then why not join us.