This blog, written by Liz Sayce, was originally posted on the National Development Team for Inclusion's (NDTi) website.
Successive governments have talked the talk of employment opportunities for disabled people, written yards of strategy and policy, consulted again and again and set up programmes from Pathways to Work to Work Choice.
Yet for all this effort, in 2014 less than half of disabled people are in paid employment and the figures are far worse for people with multiple impairments, mental health conditions or learning disabilities and in some minority ethnic groups and some localities. Disabled people are 23% less likely to be in work than non-disabled people with the same qualifications (the co-called ‘disability employment penalty’). Those who are in work are over-represented in occupations that are shrinking (eg junior administrative, manual), under-represented in occupations set to expand (eg professional and managerial) and earn less than their non-disabled peers.
To view what Liz proposes go to http://disabilityrightsuk.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/creating-step-change-in-disabled.html