In this article:

A Disability Employment Charter has been launched, supported by disability organisations, trade unions and academics. The Charter sets out areas for Government action to tackle the shocking disability employment gap. There is almost a 30% gap between the employment rate of Disabled and non-disabled people. There is also a 19.6% disability pay gap. The pandemic has seen Disabled workers disproportionately negatively impacted.

Disabled people face a range of barriers in finding work, progressing in work and remaining in work when a disability is acquired. The Charter asks Government to build on the limited measures included in the National Disability Strategy by increasing disability focused employment programmes; improving Access to Work; putting time limits on making decisions on meeting reasonable adjustments; strengthening the Disability Confident scheme; and introducing mandatory disability work force monitoring.

DR UK CEO Kamran Mallick said: “Disabled people face a range of hurdles in finding and progressing in work, which just shouldn’t be there. The Charter simply and powerfully sets out the concerted actions that Government needs to take to move the dial forward. It’s not enough to tinker round the edges, we need a bold plan to bring down the barriers.”  

Read the Charter here.