A-million-futures-halving-the-disability-employment-gap.pdf?ext=

Chapter one: Flexible workplacesDisabled people can thrive atwork with the right support inplace. 91% of disabled peopleare in work or have worked in thepast. [16] Yet too often disabledpeople lack support to remain inthe workplace. This is an urgentchallenge. 429,000 disabledpeople in the last year alonemoved from work tounemployment or inactivity. [17]Once out of work, the humanand economic costs are profound:10% of unemployed disabledpeople have been out of work forfive years or more, comparedwith just 3% of the non-disabledpopulation. [18]Disabled people are strugglingto keep their jobs“I, like thousands of others,fall into the grey area of toodisabled to hold down a jobwithout health implications yetnot disabled enough to gethelp from the Government. Ihave applied for over 40 jobssince becoming visuallyimpaired but with so manypeople applying for every jobvacancy, why would someoneadapt the workplace for adisabled employee when theyhave so many other ablebodiedapplicants?”Sarah, Isle of Wight [19]There are nearly four milliondisabled people working in theUK. [20] Yet new Scope researchshows that last year, 429,000disabled people fell out of work,and only 207,000 disabled peoplemoved into work. This means that220,000 more disabled people leftwork than moved into it. [21] Bycontrast, the movement amongstthe rest of the population isoverwhelmingly in the otherdirection: 560,000 more nondisabledpeople found workthan became unemployedor inactive. [22]“I acquired my disability afteran accident and after beingmade redundant I could notget another job despite beinghighly qualified and meetingall of the person specs for jobsI applied for.”Elane, London [23]The impact of this on disabledpeople is profound. Once out ofthe workplace, disabled peoplecan find it much more difficult toreturn. 10% of unemployeddisabled people have been outof work for five years or more,compared with just 3% of thenon-disabled population. [24]“It’s very difficult to get backinto work after a long period ofnot working and employershave been judgemental aboutmy mental health problems.”Heidi, Congleton [25]Scope’s research sought toexplore why staying in work canbe so challenging for disabledpeople. Disabled people told usthat one of the most importantissues for them is ensuring thatthe workplace is flexible andadaptable enough toaccommodate any changes intheir circumstances. 48% ofdisabled people who respondedto Scope’s survey [26] said theywould benefit from modified hoursin the workplace – a findingsupported by other research. [27]Last year,220,000 moredisabled people leftemployment thanmoved into it. [21]8 9