Consultations

Area of Research Interest: Disability Employment Gap 

We submitted evidence to the Welsh Government’s Equality and Social Justice Committee on the Disability Employment Gap. The Committee was interested in understanding what action the government and employers can take to increase employment opportunities for disabled people and reduce the disability pay and employment gaps. In particular, the Committee wanted to know if there are examples of successful interventions or best practices that could be applied in Wales to increase participation and narrow the disability employment gap. 

Along with our research partners at the Centre for Healthcare and Communities at Coventry University, we submitted our expertise and insights and suggested questions that the Committee could ask the Welsh Government.   

The Committee will use the information gathered to scope and support its future work. 

You can find further information on the consultation here.

Response to the Public Services Committee inquiry: The transition from education to employment for young disabled people (2023)

Along with our research partners at the Universities of Coventry and Sussex we were invited to give evidence to the House of Lords Public Services Committee’s Call for Evidence: Transition from education to employment for young disabled people.

The inquiry examined young disabled people’s experiences of the transition from education to employment. This included career and employment support and advice young disabled people receive throughout this transition; how far public services demonstrate best practice on employing young disabled people; support for employers; and enforcement of the rights of young disabled people in the workplace.

For further information, read the full report here – Think Work First: The transition from education to work for young disabled people

The Work and Pensions Select Committee: Disability Employment Inquiry 

 Along with our research partners at the University of Coventry, we provided evidence to The Work and Pensions Select Committee for an Inquiry into the challenges that disabled people face regarding employment. Dr Christine Grant presented oral evidence to the Work and Pensions Select Committee on how remote working has impacted neurodivergent and disabled workers.

The Committee asked for submissions on all or some of the following questions:

• What progress has been made, especially since our 2021 report on the disability employment gap, on supporting disability employment?
• How has this progress been achieved?
• What should be the priority actions to enable further progress with supporting disability employment for: i) employers; and ii) the Government?
• What are the barriers to employers hiring disabled people and ensuring those people stay in work?
• How can employers be better incentivised and supported to employ disabled people and to adapt jobs and workplaces to better accommodate their needs?
• How successful have policies, such as Access to Work and the Disability Confident Scheme, been at increasing employment rates among disabled people and ensuring disabled people stay in work? How could they be improved?
• Does self-employment provide a valuable route for disabled people to find and stay in work? How could support for self-employed disabled people be improved?
• How will the Government’s announced reforms to disability employment support, such as Universal Support, WorkWell and the proposals in the Back to Work Plan, help close the disability employment gap?

Read the press release here.