Disabled could be helped back into work with new right similar to maternity law
A new right to reintegration for workers on sick leave could see firms prevented from dismissing someone unless it is shown the employer has made sufficient efforts at reintegrating the person, the Resolution Foundation think tank said.
They said such a right would 'would clarify and strengthen existing legal protections' under the the Equality Act and 'provide a much stronger message to workers about what they are entitled to'.
The report warned that the Government risks failing to meet its aim to raise the employment rate to 80% without a 'serious strategy to shift employer behaviour' and argues employers must be incentivised to reintegrate existing workers back into jobs.
The report comes in the same week as the Universal Credit Bill cleared the House of Lords, aimed at rebalancing the benefit 'to remove work disincentives', according to a Government minister, while giving existing claimants 'the security and certainty they need'.
Separately during the debate, Paralympic champion Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, who sits in the Lords, said disabled people have been portrayed as 'benefit scroungers and a drain on society' in the conversation on welfare reform.
In its report, the Resolution Foundation said around 12% of disabled staff leave work each year – consistently 1.5-times the rate of non-disabled workers.
It added that twice as many people move from work into inactivity due to ill health – around 304,000 each year – than those moving the other way (around 151,000).
But the think tank said despite there being 'strong' legal obligations in place already on employers, they are 'simply not doing enough to retain existing workers', with fewer than half of disabled workers who request a reasonable adjustment – which can include a change to working arrangements or provision of equipment, services or support – having this granted in full.
With 15% of disabled people reporting workplace discrimination relating to their disability in 2022, the report said this remains a 'pressing issue'.
The think tank said: 'Boosting disability employment is not straightforward: it will involve improvements to the health system, benefits system and world of work. But action to incentivise and support employers is a vital piece of the puzzle.'
Louise Murphy, senior economist at the Resolution Foundation, said: 'The Government should do more to incentivise firms to employ disabled people – especially those who have been out of work for long periods – but employers need to do more in return.
'A new right to reintegration could help disabled workers back into work in the same way that maternity rights transformed women's employment prospects a generation ago.'
The foundation said the new right could be enforced through employment tribunals, but urged the Government to also consider 'more proactive enforcement mechanisms, whether via the Equalities and Human Rights Commission or connected to a new system of caseworkers that are expected to be covered in the forthcoming Mayfield Review'.
Former John Lewis boss, Sir Charlie Mayfield, is undertaking a review to investigate how Government and businesses can work together to support ill and disabled people into work, with a report expected in autumn.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
North Wales Live
24 minutes ago
- North Wales Live
Tesco giving away free food at stores this summer
Children will be able to get free fruit at the checkout at branches of Tesco during the summer holiday as part of a new campaign announced by the retailer. The initiative, which will run from August 4 to August 17, will see the supermarket chain give away an estimated 3.5 million apples over the two-week period. Tesco has launched the campaign, which has been backed by the Government, in response to figures showing fewer than one in 10 children and one in five adults eat the recommended five-a-day. Heath and social care secretary, Wes Streeting, said: 'Obesity has doubled since the 1990s and costs our NHS £11 billion a year. "Unless we curb the rising tide of cost and demand, the NHS risks becoming unsustainable. But we can't do this alone. 'The declining health of the nation requires a national mission, working with all parts of our society – from industry to influencers – to reverse the decline and make sure that kids today grow up to be part of the healthiest generation ever. 'Our brilliant supermarkets already do so much work for our communities and are trying to make their stores healthier, and we want to work with them and other businesses to create a level playing field.' In addition to the free fruit at the checkouts, Tesco will also offer around four million customers the opportunity to earn personalised Clubcard stamps on fresh fruit and veg, which can be converted into bonus Clubcard points and vouchers to spend in store, while millions of customers will also be able to earn extra points through new Clubcard Challenges on frozen fruit and veg, beans, and pulses. The campaign builds on the Stronger Starts Fruit & Veg for Schools which has seen free fruit and vegetables and other resources provided to schools in areas where there is a higher-than-average free school meal ratio. Ashwin Prasad, Tesco's UK CEO, said: 'We understand that for many, there are barriers that make healthy eating feel hard. "We want to help our customers make small changes that amount to big health benefits for themselves and their families. 'That's why we're setting out to make healthy choices easier every day, starting with new offers and support for families in store this summer. 'We're bringing customers new ways to earn Clubcard points and vouchers as a fun and engaging way to help them towards their five-a-day, on top of new and existing great value offers on healthy staples.'
North Wales Chronicle
2 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Care home director warns of impact of visa restrictions
Kevin Edwards, from Meddyg Care, which runs two dementia care homes in Gwynedd, has written to Wales's First Minister, Eluned Morgan. He warned of the 'potentially devastating impact' of the UK Government's decision to end the Health and Care Worker visa. Mr Edwards believes the move could lead to care homes and domiciliary care companies shutting down. The issue is particularly severe in rural areas, which are already struggling to recruit local workers. Mr Edwards highlighted official statistics showing that 15 per cent of registered care workers in Wales were born outside the UK. He said: "The social care sector in rural North Wales is already under significant strain, grappling with high vacancy rates, an ageing population, and limited local workforce availability. "The Health and Care Worker visa has been a critical lifeline, enabling care providers to recruit international workers to fill staffing gaps." He has called on the First Minister to pressure the Westminster Government into either reversing the policy or implementing a transitional scheme for critical workers in social care. Mr Edwards is also advocating for more investment in training and pay levels to attract local workers and stronger measures to stop exploitation of international workers. He said: "The withdrawal of this visa will exacerbate existing challenges in rural North Wales, where geographic isolation and a smaller pool of domestic workers make recruitment particularly difficult." The ban on care workers bringing dependants, introduced in March last year, has already caused an 83 per cent fall in visa applications, with monthly applications dropping from 129,000 to 26,000 in a year. Mr Edwards said: "This sharp reduction demonstrates the policy's immediate impact, and the complete termination of the visa route will likely deepen the crisis. "The loss of international workers, who bring diverse skills and dedication, threatens to destabilise care homes and domiciliary services, potentially leading to closures." He extended an invitation to the First Minister to visit the care homes to see firsthand the impact of the potential closure of the visa scheme. The issue has also been raised by Care Forum Wales (CFW), who have branded the policy 'half-baked.' READ MORE: Ysbyty Gwynedd: 'Systemic challenges' but 'positive improvements' in ED Historic church on Anglesey with a 'lost well' in bid to extend graveyard The organisation warned that the policy, which came into force on July 22, risks 'extreme workforce shortages'. CFW Chair Mario Kreft MBE said: "This ill-thought through policy has come as a double whammy because it coincides with the increase in the employers' National Insurance contributions which amounts to a 37 per cent rise. "I'd also like to quash the myth once and for all that international workers are cheap labour because the exact opposite is true."
Daily Record
4 hours ago
- Daily Record
'PIP is not for people scrounging money and Brits on benefits are judged too harshly'
Charli M, who regularly speaks out about mental health, shared a video to her followers explaining why people on PIP (Personal Independence Payment) are not "scroungers" A former Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessor has hit back at Brits who label benefit claimants as "scroungers", shedding light on the rigorous process to access the payment. Charli M, known for her candid discussions about mental health on TikTok, revealed she used to work as a PIP assessor and insists there are many misconceptions about the process. In a recent video, she addressed comments on her posts labelling benefit recipients as "fraudsters" and accusing them of "scrounging" off others. She aims to debunk these myths, explaining that stringent guidelines must be met to qualify for the payment, and it's actually "incredibly hard" to secure PIP. The subject frequently sparks debate, particularly when alterations to the payment system occur. Recently, new dates for PIP changes were announced. Charli highlighted that, while there are numerous stories circulating about Brits on PIP, many people lack understanding of how the system operates. She clarified that it's possible to work and claim a disability benefit, a fact often misunderstood. For those unsure about PIP, it's a payment designed to help with additional living costs for individuals with long-term physical or mental health conditions or disabilities, or those who struggle with daily tasks or mobility due to their condition. PIP entitlement is possible even if you're employed, have savings or are receiving most other benefits. Since Charli posted the video, it has sparked a flurry of comments from people sharing their personal experiences. One person commented: "My mum used to be a PIP assessor and I'm a work coach for UC. People don't seem to realise you usually need pretty solid medical evidence in order to get PIP, and it really shouldn't be stigmatised the way it is. "99% of people on these benefits are very much deserving of them." Another added: "Thank you for this. We aren't lazy - far from it. As someone who's been disabled all my life [and] received lots of backlash - I had to fight to get PIP." A third responded: "I get PIP and work, but can only work two days a week due to illness, but I still try my hardest to work. People don't understand." Meanwhile, a fourth also remarked: "PIP is very hard to get awarded." Another person chimed in with: "Thank you for this. I have to keep trying to explain that PIP isn't an out of work benefit." Are you eligible for PIP? According to the Government website: "You can get Personal Independence Payment (PIP) if all of the following apply to you: You're 16 or over You have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability You have difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around You expect the difficulties to last for at least 12 months from when they started "You must also be under State Pension age if you've not received PIP before. If you live in Scotland, you need to apply for Adult Disability Payment (ADP) instead. "If you're over State Pension age, you can apply for Attendance Allowance instead. Or if you've received PIP before, you can still make a new claim if you were eligible for it in the year before you reached State Pension age." Further details can be found on the website.
