17 January

Public accounts committee report – disabled people disadvantaged in labour market by Government work schemes

The Employers' Forum on Disability (EFD) welcomes the Public Accounts Committee's report which highlights that efforts to get disabled people into work are hindered by overlapping Government work schemes.

The Employers' Forum on Disability is aware that the system designed to help disabled people's prospects for real employment is often uncoordinated and confusing to both disabled people and employers alike.

Employers' Forum on Disability Chief Executive Susan Scott-Parker says:

“Government should create an efficient labour market where the system works to bring disabled people and employers together in the right job match.

“Streamlining services which help disabled people to find training and jobs, combined with building disability confidence across the entire work related system will see improvements for all concerned.

“Government would have more success in implementing their welfare to work agenda by talking to the private sector, which has had experience of supply chain management.

“Furthermore, if the agencies which are there to help disabled people find employment get it right on disability then other disadvantaged groups such as single parents and ethnic minorities will also benefit, driving the Government's larger inclusion agenda.”

The Public Accounts Committee's report, released on 16 January, said that of more than one million on incapacity benefit who want to work, only 160,000 take advantage of state schemes.

The committee also claimed "unreliable" data from the Department of Work and Pensions made it "impossible" to assess the benefits of the £320m being spent.

The full report Public Accounts Committee report, 'Gaining and retaining a job: the Department for Work and Pensions' support for disabled people' can be found here: http://www.publications.parliament./www/cmpubacc.htm

Ends

For further information on the Employers' Forum on Disability contact the Forum press office

Issy Rule
Employers' Forum on Disability press office
Telephone: 020 7403 3020
Mobile: 07754 522 521
Email: issy.rule@employers-forum.co.uk
Web: www.employers-forum.co.uk

The Employers' Forum on Disability is the world's leading employers' organisation focused on disability as it affects business. Funded and managed by 400 members, we make it easier to recruit and retain disabled employees and to serve disabled customers.

The Forum's consultancy report: 'Tripod', submitted to the Department for Work and Pensions in December 2005, recommended that the system needs to be streamlined and that the employer needs to be seen as the end user of a supply chain that delivers disabled people into existing jobs.

For further information contact the EFD press office.