DisabilityBenefits and Employment Support Framework

This framework outlines the key principles that members of the Disability Benefits Consortium (DBC) think policies and employment support to reduce the disability employment gap should be based upon.In particular, the DBC highlights the crucial role financial support and disability benefits play in allowing disabled people to retain employment for as long as possible and live independent, fulfilling lives. Any changes to the current system or the creation of new systems in the future should therefore be based on these principles.

Our Vision:

The Government’s approach to halving the disability employment gap reflects the reality of disabled people’s lives. Over the course of their employment journeys disabled people can need to move in and out of employment as their condition and symptoms change. Disabled people can access sufficient, timely and appropriate financial support from the welfare system when they need it, to allow them tonavigate these changes with minimal difficulty. The welfare system recognises the different support needs of individuals and treats them with dignity.

Key principles:

To achieve this vision, we urge the Government to follow the following principles:

  1. Some disabled people may reach a stage where work is no longer possible and available support must reflect this.

We therefore believe that:

  • Disabled people who are unable to work should not be subject to conditionality.
  • The Support Group, or equivalent, should be maintained
  • Work is not always an appropriate outcome for everyone. People with complex conditions who are unlikely to return to work should be supported to reach self-defined goals.
  1. Sufficient financial support for both those in and out of work should be provided toenable disabled people to maintain independent lives and, where they can, remain in employment for as long as possible.

We therefore believe that:

  • Reductions to Work Allowances and Permitted Work under Universal Credit should be reversed to ensure people with disabilities and health conditions have sufficient financial support when they are struggling or no longer able to work.
  • Disability benefits and financial support is key to help disabled people maintain employment and live independent lives. In-work disability benefits must be protected from any further reductions or restrictions to the eligibility criteria.
  • The cut to ESA WRAG should be reversed so that financial support is available for sick and disabled people who have limited capability for work and are struggling or unable to work. This support mustrecognise the additional barriers and costs they face which are exacerbated by unemployment.
  • Changes should be made to ensure disabled people can rely on sufficient financial support, making it easier for them to move in and out of work and vary their hours as their condition requires.
  1. The benefits system should be designed so it can accurately identify and consider the range of barriers to employment faced by people with disabilities and health conditions,and provide the necessary support to help overcome these, where possible.

We therefore believe that:

  • Any assessment criteria or descriptors must be robust and based on clear evidence
  • The assessment needs to fully understand the impact of a condition on someone’s ability to work and acknowledge the impact of particular conditions such as progressive and fluctuating conditions.
  • Assessors must be provided with comprehensive knowledge of the needs of disabled people, including detailed condition-specific training which is overseen and quality-assured by the Department.
  • Appropriate mechanisms should be designed, with the input of care professionals, to ensure the timely collection of supporting evidence to improve the accuracy of decision making.
  • Assessments for employment and financial support should understand not just the physical or mental conditions that make it difficult for someone to work, but also other barriers to work such as housing issues, debt, relationship breakdown, lack of access to treatment and employer stigma.
  1. The design ofpolicies to reduce the disability employment gap must sufficiently involve disability organisations and disabled peopleand recognise the need for greater transparency.

We therefore believe that:

  • Extensive engagement must be undertaken with disability organisations and those they support throughout the detailed design and implementation of any improvements to benefits and employment support, as well as any gateway assessments.
  • Any significant changes to the criteria or process of financial support assessments should be independently reviewed and consider the full range of impairments faced by people.
  • Data regarding assessmentsfor financial support and employment support provision should be made readily available and broken down by main condition and any additional conditions that impact on the person’s life.