The UK’s new Disability Minister, Tom Pursglove, has said that the government “has scope to do better” when it comes to getting disabled people into work.
Mr Pursglove, who has been the MP for Corby since 2015, told the BBC Access All podcast that one way in which he hopes to improve the experience of disabled people getting into work is by digitising the Access to Work scheme.
Evenbreak’s reaction to the Disability Minister’s comment
It is great to see that the government have accepted that the wait for Access to Work is not acceptable. Most claims are taking up to 6 months and that’s usually the probation period in employment. The impact of this is if you don’t have the adjustments you need then how can you shine in your role? It’s another unfair barrier to career progression and employment for disabled candidates.
Disabled candidates bring skills that employers want and additional skills as we are navigating a world not built for us. Skills such as resilience, problem solving and creativity.
Many employers recognise that and are working with us to address issues like bias and inaccessible recruitment processes that don’t help candidates to present their best selves.
In our research with UCL, we found that over 80% of disabled people didn’t know which employers were truly inclusive. That’s a shocking figure and one we need to address, which is why we at Evenbreak exist. We work with employers who value disabled talent and are working hard to attract them.
For candidates
Check out the latest job vacancies from inclusive employers
Access support, join employer events and sign up for free career coaching on the Evenbreak Career Hive.
For employers
Find out more about advertising your job vacancies on Evenbreak.
