There are 4.2 million people in receipt of health-related benefits, and two thirds are on long term sickness support, with the Government estimating that the bill for disability related benefits is set to rise from £60 billion now, to over £100 billion by 2030.
A quarter of people aged 16-64 have a long-term health condition that limits our day-to-day activities with Disabled people nearly three times more likely (than non-Disabled people) to be “economically inactive”.
The Government wants to improve healthcare and job support in its "first major intervention to achieve an ambitious 80 per cent employment rate." It will do this by providing an additional £22.6 billion of funding in 2025-26 for the Department of Health and Social Care. This will support the NHS in England to deliver an additional 40,000 appointments a week and make progress towards the commitment that patients should expect to wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment.
The Government have also said that they will deliver an additional 8,500 new mental health staff and expand access to Individual Placement and Support (IPS) for those with severe mental illness, reaching 140,000 more people by 2028/29.
The White Paper sets out how the Government will invest £125 million in eight areas across England and Wales, to mobilise local work, health and skills support – so everyone who wants to work can get the joined-up support they need.
It will also provide £115 million in funding next year to enable local areas across England and Wales to deliver a new supported employment programme called the Connect to Work scheme which will provide voluntary employment offers to people with disabilities and health conditions, and will support up to 100,000 people a year at full roll out.
The government proposes to bring forward measures next spring, to overhaul the health and disability benefits system, which will include major proposals to cut the benefits bill.
An independent review has been announced, into how employers can be better supported to employ Disabled people and those with long-term health conditions, to enable us to remain in the workplace.
Launching the White Paper, Secretary of State, Liz Kendall MP said: “To get Britain growing, we need to get Britain working again. Our reforms will break down barriers to opportunity, help people to get into work and on at work, allow local leaders to boost jobs and growth, and give our children and young people the best opportunities to get on in life."
“The Get Britain Working White Paper shows that this Government stands unashamedly for work. We will make sure everyone, regardless of their background, age, ethnicity, health, disability or postcode can benefit from the dignity and purpose work can bring.”
Dan White policy and campaigns officer and one of the leads at the Disability Poverty Campaign Group said: “We know many Disabled people wish to work and moves to provide more targeted and tailored support are welcome. However, the threat of a spring Green Paper, that proposed cuts to the benefits bill is very concerning. Disabled people living on social security are struggling to meet the basic costs of food, energy, medication, social care, transport and housing. Pushing us into even deeper poverty will not provide us with a route towards employment.”
“Research shows that businesses lack confidence hiring disabled people, making reasonable adjustments, and navigating systems such as Access to Work. At the same time, Disabled people described demoralising job searches, sometimes applying for hundreds of jobs, and difficulty in identifying inclusive employers.”
“You can’t on the one hand threaten benefit cuts that penalise Disabled people and then with the other, assure us that we will be given the support we need to work. These mixed messages do not inspire confidence that the Government has our best interests at heart.”
“According to new data released by the TUC, the disability pay gap has now widened to 17.2 per cent, meaning non-Disabled employees earn on average £2.35 an hour more than Disabled workers.”
“There is so much insecurity for Disabled people, who give work a try but who are then not able to return to the same safety net, if things don’t work out.”
“If the Government is serious about supporting us into work, then the blaming and shaming of Disabled people must stop. It is worth noting that Disabled people have not been consulted on the contents of the White Paper.”
The Get Britain Working White Paper is available from gov.uk.