Fit for purpose: transforming employment support for disabled people and those with health conditions

In this UK report, the authors note that disabled people and those with health conditions are far less likely to be in work, less likely to find work and spend longer out of work than the population as a whole. Despite more than a decade of near-constant reforms to disability benefits and to employment support, these gaps did not narrow by much during the boom years, and progress may have stalled more recently. Fewer than half of all disabled people are in work and the authors estimate that just one in 10 of those not in work are being supported through either the Work Programme or Work Choice. Almost all of these are in the Work Programme, with only limited funding available to provide intensive or specialist support. This project sets out how the employment support system can be transformed to create a system that offers employment opportunity for all, with the right support to prepare for and take up work. This report sets out 20 case studies of current good practice in supporting disabled people and those with health conditions. A number of effective service models and common themes are identified.

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