An article examined employment-related changes made by the Equality Act 2010 from a disability perspective. It identified opportunities to enhance disability equality that had been seized, and those that had been missed. It identified two respects in which the Act might fall short of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Source: Anna Lawson, 'Disability and employment in the Equality Act 2010: opportunities seized, lost and generated', Industrial Law Journal, Volume 40 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Dec
An article examined: whether stronger ties between disabled workers and the labour movement could allow for greater control over the nature of mainstream work; whether more enabling work opportunities could be created beyond the ?mainstream? in social economy organizations; and how other forms of unpaid and creative work could usefully challenge the dominance of paid employment as a route to social inclusion for disabled people.
Source: Edward Hall and Robert Wilton, 'Alternative spaces of "work" and inclusion for disabled people', Disability & Society, Volume 26 Number 7
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Dec
The second independent review of the work capability assessment (for employment and support allowance) made a series of recommendations focusing on: introducing checks on benefit decisions to ensure fairness and consistency; working with disability groups to help develop guidance for healthcare professionals and decision makers; improved support and communications for people who moved on to jobseeker's allowance to make sure they got the help that they needed; and regularly publishing data on performance and quality to improve the transparency of the face-to face assessment. The coalition government said that it endorsed the recommendations.
Source: Malcolm Harrington, An Independent Review of the Work Capability Assessment – Year Two, Department for Work and Pensions
Links: Report | Coalition response | Hansard | Liberal Democrats press release | DBC press release | ERSA press release | Mind press release | Community Care report
Date: 2011-Nov
An independent review made a series of recommendations designed to improve the sickness absence and benefits systems. It said that the government should fund a new 'Independent Assessment Service' (IAS). The IAS (rather than family doctors) would provide an in-depth assessment of an individual's physical and/or mental function, and would also provide advice about how an individual on sickness absence could be supported to return to work: this service would usually be accessed when an individual's absence spell had lasted around 4 weeks. The review also recommended that the government should end the employment and support allowance assessment phase: this should be supported by changes to Jobcentre Plus claims policies and processes to prevent large numbers of people being inappropriately directed towards ESA.
Source: Carol Black and David Frost, Health at Work: An Independent Review of Sickness Absence, Cm 8205, Department for Work and Pensions, TSO
Links: Report | Hansard | DWP press release | ABI press release | BCC press release | CMH press release | CSP press release | TUC press release | BBC report | Guardian report | Personnel Today report | Telegraph report
Date: 2011-Nov
The coalition government responded to a report by a committee of MPs on the work capability assessment for incapacity benefit claimants. It said that it was committed to continuously improving the assessment to ensure that it was 'as fair and accurate as possible'.
Source: The Role of Incapacity Benefit Reassessment in Helping Claimants Into Employment: Government Response to the Committee's Sixth Report, Seventh Special Report (Session 2010-12), HC 1641, House of Commons Work and Pensions Select Committee, TSO
Links: Response
Notes: MPs report (July 2011)
Date: 2011-Nov
A briefing paper examined the employment situation of disabled people. It looked at recent and possible future developments, with a particular emphasis on the role of skills alongside other factors in influencing the situation.
Source: Nigel Meager and Tom Higgins, Disability and Skills in a Changing Economy, UK Commission for Employment and Skills
Links: Briefing
Date: 2011-Sep
A qualitative research project examined the recruitment practices of employers in small and medium enterprises, particularly as these related to disabled people. Although SME employers recognized the rights of disabled people to participate in paid employment, they did not consider that they should be obliged to employ disabled people.
Source: Jacqueline Davidson, A Qualitative Study Exploring Employers? Recruitment Behaviour and Decisions: Small and Medium Enterprises, Research Report 754, Department for Work and Pensions
Links: Report | Summary | DWP press release | Disability Alliance press release
Date: 2011-Sep
The coalition government published its response to the Sayce review of employment services for disabled people, and began consultation on the review recommendations. It said that it agreed with the 'central theme' that resources should be directed towards disabled people themselves, giving them maximum choice and control in relation to the services that they received.
Source: Specialist Disability Employment Programmes: Government s Response to Liz Sayce's Independent Review of Specialist Disability Employment Programmes, 'Getting In, Staying In and Getting On', Cm 8106, Department for Work and Pensions, TSO | Specialist Disability Employment Programmes: Consultation on the Recommendations in Liz Sayce's Independent Review 'Getting In, Staying In and Getting On', Cm 8126, Department for Work and Pensions, TSO
Links: Response | Consultation document | Hansard | DWP press release
Notes: Sayce report (June 2011)
Date: 2011-Jul
A study found that around 60,000 people in Wales would be thrown off incapacity benefits as a result of the coalition government's welfare reforms. In most of Wales the high incidence of worklessness was rooted in a shortage of jobs: welfare reform was therefore unlikely to move people into work without a commensurate increase in job opportunities.
Source: Christina Beatty and Steve Fothergill, Tackling Worklessness in Wales, Industrial Communities Alliance (Wales)
Links: Report | Sheffield Hallam University press release
Date: 2011-Jul
An article examined the extension of work-related conditionality to disabled people, through a qualitative investigation of welfare service users' opinions. The government needed to do much more before it could justifiably make disability benefit receipt conditional on participating in work-related activities.
Source: Ruth Patrick, 'Disabling or enabling: the extension of work-related conditionality to disabled people', Social Policy and Society, Volume 10 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Jul
A report by a committee of MPs expressed concern that the reassessment process for incapacity benefit claimants was failing to assess people's employability and workplace needs accurately, and that information from the assessment was not linked to the Work Programme to ensure that a proper level of support was provided.
Source: The Role of Incapacity Benefit Reassessment in Helping Claimants Into Employment, Sixth Report (Session 2010-12), HC 1015, House of Commons Work and Pensions Select Committee, TSO
Links: Report | Additional written evidence | Rethink press release | Community Care report | Guardian report
Date: 2011-Jul
A government-commissioned review of employment services for disabled people was published. It recommended that disabled people should be treated as part of the mainstream labour force and should no longer be employed in sheltered workshops. It strongly endorsed moves to increase awareness of the 'Access to Work' programme, which provided grants to support people in work and which was highly cost-effective. Any savings from the report's recommendations should be channelled back into widening access to employment support.
Source: Liz Sayce, Getting In, Staying In and Getting On: Disability employment support fit for the future, Cm 8081, Department for Work and Pensions, TSO
Links: Report | Hansard | DWP press release | CMH press release | DRP press release | Mind press release | Unite press release | Community Care report | Guardian report
Date: 2011-Jun
An article examined experiences of disability disclosure among professionals. Disclosure was perceived as having the potential to exclude participants from their chosen profession. Abolishing health standards for the professions would increase disability disclosure and decrease the stigma associated with disability.
Source: Nicky Stanley, Julie Ridley, Jessica Harris, and Jill Manthorpe, 'Disclosing disability in the context of professional regulation: a qualitative UK study', Disability & Society, Volume 26 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-May
An article examined the work-related spatial mobility intentions of incapacity benefit claimants in Northern Ireland. Limited spatial mobility was a good indicator of disadvantage, and spatial mobility should be placed nearer the centre of the design and delivery of labour market policy.
Source: Ian Shuttleworth and Anne Green, 'Spatial mobility intentions, the labour market and incapacity benefit claimants evidence from Northern Ireland', Urban Studies, Volume 48 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Apr
An article examined progress since 1997 in the provision of supported employment for people with learning disabilities. There was a need for further action to deliver the government's vision of employment inclusion, and to secure the rights of people with learning disabilities to a place in the workplace.
Source: Kathy Melling, Stephen Beyer, and Mark Kilsby, 'Supported employment for people with learning disabilities in the UK: the last 15 years', Tizard Learning Disability Review, Volume 16 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Apr
An official advisory body expressed a series of concerns regarding the new 'work capability assessment' for claimants of employment and support allowance. It said that the assessment did not take account of whether claimants were actually employable – particularly in view of the large body of evidence that people with health conditions and disabilities faced discrimination, and the fact that their rates of employment had improved very little even during relatively favourable labour market conditions. The government said that it 'noted' the concerns expressed.
Source: The Employment and Support Allowance (Limited Capability for Work and Limited Capability for Work-Related Activity) Amendment Regulations 2011 (S.I.2011 No.228): Report by the Social Security Advisory Committee under Section 174(1) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 and Statement by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in Accordance with Section 174(2) of that Act, Department for Work and Pensions, TSO
Links: Report | DWP press release
Date: 2011-Feb
A briefing paper examined proposed changes to the work capability assessment for employment and support allowance, following an independent review.
Source: Steven Kennedy, The Work Capability Assessment for Employment and Support Allowance, Standard Note SN/SP/5850, House of Commons Library
Links: Briefing paper
Notes: The work capability assessment is used to assess entitlement to employment and support allowance (ESA). ESA was introduced in October 2008, replacing incapacity benefit.
Date: 2011-Feb
The coalition government announced an independent review of sickness absence. The review would explore how the existing system could be changed to help more people stay in work, thereby reducing costs. It would also examine whether the costs were 'appropriately shared' between individuals, employers, and the state – and make recommendations for reform.
Source: Written Ministerial Statement 17 February 2011, column 96WS, House of Commons Hansard, TSO
Links: Hansard | DWP press release | CBI press release | CIPD press release | L&G press release | TUC press release
Date: 2011-Feb
A report examined the role of supported employment agencies in promoting the health of people with learning disabilities in 'real' jobs.
Source: Elisa Vigna, Stephen Beyer, and Michael Kerr, The Role of Supported Employment Agencies in Promoting the Health of People with Learning Disabilities, Welsh Centre for Learning Disabilities (Cardiff University)
Links: Report
Date: 2011-Feb
A report examined the implementation of the European Union Employment Directive of 2000, which established a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation. The report focused on the perspective of organizations of persons with disabilities on using the tools provided by the Directive to promote disability equality in employment.
Source: Ten Years On: Practical impact of the Employment Directive on persons with disabilities in employment, European Disability Forum
Links: Report
Date: 2011-Jan
An article examined the levels of job satisfaction reported by older workers (aged 50-64) with and without disabilities, at a European level. Older workers with limiting disabilities had greater returns in terms of satisfaction with their job characteristics (such as wages, tenure, and working in the private sector) compared with non-disabled individuals.
Source: Ricardo Pagan, 'Ageing and disability: job satisfaction differentials across Europe', Social Science & Medicine, Volume 72 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2011-Jan
A paper examined trends in the employment of disabled people between 1974 and 2005. The prevalence of disability (the proportion of working age adults who reported a limiting long-standing illness) rose from 14 per cent in 1975 to 18 per cent in 1996, before falling back again to 16 per cent in 2004. The 'disability employment penalty' – the extent to which disabled people were less likely to have a job than otherwise similar non-disabled people – increased from 17 per cent in 1987 to 28 per cent in 2000, but had not reduced since then. People with severely disadvantaging sets of health conditions had been more, not less, affected by the trends. Changes in disabled people's employment rates or in benefit payments had not coincided with major changes in the social security rules and procedures.
Source: Richard Berthoud, Trends in the Employment of Disabled People in Britain, Working Paper 2011-03, Institute for Social and Economic Research (University of Essex)
Links: Working paper | Abstract | ISER press release | Guardian report
Date: 2011-Jan
A report said that in order to be successful the government's new 'Work Programme' had to be able to meet the needs of participants with health conditions and/or disabilities. It expressed concern that the work capability assessment was 'not fit for purpose' and needed to be revised immediately to improve its fairness and effectiveness: unless this happened, people would continue to be placed on the wrong benefit, which would have a negative impact on their chances of accessing appropriate support to help them find and sustain work.
Source: Amy Tarr, Making the Work Programme Work for People with Health Conditions, Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion
Links: Report | CESI press release
Date: 2011-Jan
A report presented findings from a telephone survey of customers in provider-led Pathways to Work areas – the first to provide quantitative evidence on customers' experiences. The most important factor, by far, in whether customers had moved into work some months after their start on Pathways was the trajectory of their health conditions: those with continued poor health or declining health were the least likely to be in paid work.
Source: Oliver Hayllar and Martin Wood, Provider-Led Pathways to Work: The Experiences of New and Repeat Customers in Phase One Areas, Research Report 723, Department for Work and Pensions
Links: Report | Summary | DWP press release
Notes: The Pathways to Work programme aims to provide tailored assistance to people on incapacity benefits to help them to move into, or towards, paid work. Under the 'provider-led' model, delivery of the programme is contracted out to private and not-for-profit third sector organizations.
Date: 2011-Jan