The
Government cannot hope to meet its targets for getting more disabled people
into work unless it adopts a more ambitious long-term strategy for change,
according to a report published today (Tuesday).
The
report, by think-tank ippr, argues that although advances have been made,
support aimed at getting disabled people into work still focuses on the
disabled individual, with less attention given to the role of the employer, or
to effective rehabilitation policies and services.
Kate
Stanley, ippr research fellow and one of the report’s authors, said: "With
nearly one in five adults of working age now disabled, this is a mainstream
issue that permeates all sectors of the economy and society.
“In
addition, we also have an ageing population in which older people are more
likely to become disabled. Current policies are inadequate to meet the scale
and importance of the challenge of supporting many more disabled people into
work."
