The journey towards work: support for disabled people into employment project

There are 6.8 million people of working age in the UK with a long-term illness or disability (in 2006), with an overall employment rate of 50%; the rates are significantly lower for people with learning disabilities (10%) and people with mental ill health (20% (October 2008) These low levels of participation in paid work have not changed significantly over time, and certainly do not match the shifting fortunes of the overall labour market.. Despite rising levels of employment, high levels of worklessness among disabled people have persisted; further, when in work disabled people are more likely to be in low skilled, low paid jobs.

This does not reflect the desire of the majority of disabled people: they are three times more likely to be without a job and want to work than their able-bodied counterparts, constituting the so-called ‘missing million’. This research project aims to understand the forces that have contributed to this situation, map the levels and type of support offered to disabled people seeking work and examine their experiences of ‘support for employment’ programmes.

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