Disability employment gap ‘worse’ since Covid

Tue,27 July 2021
News Employment

The UK’s disability employment gap has been ‘made worse’ by Covid.

The Labour Anneliese Dodds MP has described how disabled people are more likely to be furloughed or be given reduced work hours. Speaking at Nuneaton Signs in Warwickshire, she said: "We’re saying to the Government: ‘You’ve got to take action here. People want to be able to work." The Minister for Disabled People, Justin Tomlinson said the government has "delivered record disability employment… even during the unprecedented challenge [of Covid”]… and that “the disability employment gap has closed further".

DR UK’s CEO Kamran Mallick said: “Even when we are in employment, Disabled people face much more discrimination. There are around 30% less Disabled people in work than non-Disabled people. The Government needs to stop tinkering around the edges of statistics and make meaningful changes for Disabled people to have true equity when it comes to employment.”