Government Drive to Get More People Into Work

The Government is to publish plans to get millions more disabled people into work over the next 10 years, it was announced today.

The move follows last year’s Green Paper which pledged to reduce disability employment gap by half. In June this year, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that disabled people were twice as likely to be unemployed as those who were non-disabled.

Statistics showed that 80% of non-disabled people are in work, compared to 50% of disabled people. The new measures will include reforming statutory sick pay and providing access to personalised support for workers with mental health issues, with additional resources for training of mental health professionals.

‘Fit note’ certification, which details how a condition may affect someone’s ability to work, will also be extended so that a wider group of healthcare professionals are able to issue them, including physiotherapists, psychiatrists and senior nurses. The Government hopes that changing who can issue the ‘fit note’ certifications will improve the identification of health issues and treatments and will also go some way in changing the attitudes of employers. The Institute of Directors has carried out a campaign urging employers to employ disabled people.

ABC Note: If you're off work sick for more than seven days your employer will normally ask for a fit note (or Statement of Fitness for Work) from your GP or hospital doctor.