Written evidence from the UK Women’s Budget Group (DEG0096)

1. The UK Women’s Budget Group (WBG) is an independent network of leading academic researchers, policy experts and campaigners that analyses the gendered impact of economic policy on different groups of women and men and promotes alternative policies for a gender equal economy.

2. We are not a disabled women’s organisation, but we do undertake research on how gender and disability intersect to disadvantage disabled people in the economy, labour market, household and social security system.

3. Our submission is based on work on the impact of austerity on disabled women[1], polling of disabled people about the impact of Covid[2] and, from listening to the voices of sister organisations representing disabled women[3] which we would strongly urge the Committee to prioritise when receiving evidence.

4. There are about 14 million disabled people living in the UK.[4] 23% of all adults and 8% of children have a disability; 20% of men and 23% of women are disabled. Overall, 36% of households in the UK had a disabled person in 2016.[5] Women are more likely to be disabled and they are also the majority of people caring for disabled people so the disability employment gap is gendered and has gendered impact.

5. The global Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on disabled people, who have lower employment prospects than non-disabled people. The support they receive from social security benefits is crucial to meet additional daily expenses and live with dignity.

6. Universal Credit (UC) was increased in early April in response to the pandemic. However, many of the other benefits on which disabled people rely did not see the same increase. Disabled people also depend more on public services such as health and social care, both of which have had to be redesigned to meet shielding needs and social distancing requirements during the crisis. A recent report from Scope found that 28% of disabled people have felt forgotten during the pandemic[6] and ONS found 75% of disabled people reporting they were ‘very worried’ or ‘somewhat worried’ about the impact it is having on their lives (compared with 66% for non-disabled people).[7]

What progress has been made, especially since 2015, on closing the disability employment gap? How has this progress been made?

7. In 2017 the government set out its ten-year plan ‘Improving Lives: the future of work, health and disability’ White Paper to get a million more disabled people into work. Earlier the same year it also launched the Personal Support Package, providing £330 million to support disabled people to find work. It plans to develop a National Strategy for Disabled People by the end of 2020. Plans for this are under review due to the Covid-19 pandemic and there is concern it may be de-prioritised.[8]

8. In 2018, the UN recommended that the UK government develop an employment strategy for disabled people, focusing particularly on women with disabilities, people with psychosocial and/intellectual disabilities and persons with visual impairments, in line with the government’s pledge to increase the number of disabled people in employment by a million over a decade.[9]

9. The government’s Access to Work (AtW) programme provides interview support, equipment, support with travel and travel costs, support workers and a mental health support service for disabled people. It was approved for 32,00 people in 2018-19. However, as of October 2020 the Department for Work and Pensions only supports 4% of disabled people into work each year.[10] The Disability Confident scheme aims to provide guidance to organisations on how to attract, recruit and train disabled workers, with 18,219 employers signed-up as of July 2020.[11]

What is the economic impact of low employment and high economic inactivity rates for disabled people? Are some disabled people (for example, young disabled people or people with different health conditions) more at risk of unemployment or economic activity than others?

10. Disabled people are more likely to be underemployed and to be in low-paid jobs. Overall, disabled people earn 19.6% less than non-disabled people, equivalent to £3,822 per year.[12] However the gap for disabled women is significantly higher at 36% (average median gross earnings compared to a non-disabled man).[13] This totals an equivalent difference in earnings of £7,020 per year.[14]

What has been the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on disabled peoples’ employment rates?

11. The Covid-19 pandemic significantly changed the employment landscape. In June 2020, 7.7 million people of working age (between 16-64 years) reported that they were disabled, 19% of the working age population. 4.1 million of these were in employment.[15] From April-June 2020, 53.5% (2.4 million) disabled women were in work. This figure was 78.2% for non-disabled women.[16]

12. The overall number of unemployed disabled people was 6.5% of the disabled population, compared with 3.5% for non-disabled people.[17] However, by November, overall employment for disabled people had fallen more rapidly than for non-disabled people (1.9% compared with 1.1%) and disabled people are 2.5 times more likely to be out of work than non-disabled people.[18]

13. In the summer of 2020, 1 in 6 (17%) of the working population were facing redundancy. However, this rose to 1 in 4 (27%) for disabled people, to 37% for those whose disability substantially impacted their activities, and to 1 in 2 (48%) for those who were extremely clinically vulnerable.[19] 42% of employers have claimed to be discouraged from hiring disabled vacancy applicants due to concerns about providing adequate support during the Covid-19 pandemic.[20]

14. From August until November, vulnerable disabled people were no longer required to shield meaning they weren’t entitled to Statutory Sick Pay, unless they or a member of their household had symptoms of Covid-19 or they came into contact with someone with the virus. This means those unable to work from home were strongly reliant not only on workplace safety but also on the safety and affordability of travel to and from place of employment.

15. Following the announcement of a second lockdown in England in November, those deemed clinically extremely vulnerable have been advised to work from home and offered Statutory Sick Pay if they are unable to do so.[21] However, disability charities have challenged the government over the accessibility of public health information, claiming more than 6 million people are missing out on vital information.[22]

16. A higher proportion of disabled women who work from home reported spending more time working than before the crisis. This could be positive recognition that working from home is often a viable option for disabled people and will feature more in employment practice going forward. However, disabled women also found it more difficult to focus and found work more stressful. Nearly 60% said they were struggling to balance paid work and looking after their children, with 63% struggling to cope with multiple demands on their time. Unpaid care work might play a part, as 68% of disabled women reported doing the majority of housework, with 72% also doing the majority of childcare.[23]

17. Looking at longer term trends for disabled women’s employment, it has increased by 11.6 percentage points, from 41.9% in April-June 2013 to 53.5% in April-June 2020. The rate for disabled men has increased by 8.1 percentage points during this period (45.8% to 53.9%).[24] Whilst it is encouraging that disabled women’s employment has increased, 1 in 5 employers are still hesitant to employ a disabled person[25] and they are still more likely to be in low-paid work, and in poverty. There is much work to be done to increase equal access to higher-paid and senior roles.

Where should lead responsibility for improving disabled peoples’ employment rates sit (for example, DWP; Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy; Health and Social Care)?

18. Disability, as a protected characteristic enshrined in the Equality Act 2010, is the responsibility of all departments to respond to and support. Different departments have different roles to play in increasing disabled people’s employment and support and all should undertake meaningful and comprehensive equality impact assessments to guarantee this. EIAs must take into account how protected characteristics - like sex and disability for example – intersect to make disabled women especially vulnerable to unemployment or exploitation.

19. DWP has a particular role to play in reversing some of the fatal cuts and reforms to disability benefits since 2010 and, applying the £20 uplift to ESA and JSA while BEIS and HSC should together look at significant refinancing and reform of the social care sector to provide disabled people and their carers with the support they need. Care is a key part of industrial strategy[26].

What international evidence is there on “what works” in supporting disabled people into, and in work, and how applicable is this to the UK?

What is the right balance between in and out of work support, and is DWP getting the balance right? What more should the Department look to provide?

20. Since 2010, the balance has been disproportionately punishing disabled people: the focus has been on sanctions as opposed to support. This has had the effect of pushing more disabled people in to poverty instead of helping them into work where possible. The social security safety net for many disabled people has been weakened by spending cuts since 2010. [27]

21. Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) is a benefit for disabled or ill people who are unable or less able to work. Claimants go through a Work Capability Assessment and those deemed able to work are expected to have regular interviews with an adviser and to look for a job. Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is to support individuals meeting the extra costs caused by disability or long-term ill-health. Although non-conditional (with respect to employment), eligibility is subject to an assessment and usually periodic reviews. For both types of benefits, claimants can appeal if they believe the sanction or decision to withdraw a benefit was erroneous or unfair.

22. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Council of Europe concluded that the UK does not conform to the right to social security under the European Social Charter because levels of Statutory Sick Pay, minimum Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and long-term incapacity and unemployment entitlements are lower than 40% of the median income.[28]

23. Since the Covid-19 pandemic began, 20% of disabled women had reported losing support from the government. 32% of disabled women also reported they were not sure who to turn to for help during the Covid-19 pandemic.[29] 43% of disabled or retired BAME women (13% white women) reported having lost government support. [30]

24. Many disabled women have not benefited from the small uplift in Universal Credit since they are on ‘legacy benefits’ including ESA which did not receive an increase in March. A Work and Pensions Committee (WPC) report criticised the Department of Work and Pensions decision not to raise legacy benefits in line with UC. They argue that this has left large numbers of people, particularly disabled people struggling with the costs of essentials such as basic food items.[31] The Disability Benefits Consortium reported that 95% of disabled people surveyed (from a 224 person sample) had experienced a rise in the cost of food, utilities and managing their health.[32]

25. The WPC also found that the Covid-19 lockdown has made it more challenging for many people to undertake health assessments for benefit claims. There was a significant drop in new PIP claimants with only 58% at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic compared to the number made in early 2019.[33] The reason for this is not yet known, however the WPC is concerned that people are being deterred from making new claims, and may be going without vital support as a result.[34]

26. Organisations such as Scope have called for the scrapping of sanctioning and conditionality for disability benefits, as well as scrapping the 5-week wait for Universal Credit, which pushes many disabled people into financial insecurity. They are also calling for the removal of the waiting days for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) permanent for all illnesses, and an increase in SSP in line with the National Minimum Wage.

27. During the crisis, welcome amendments to the Carer’s Allowance enabled the continuation of benefit payment if the carer was unable to continue caring due to the carer/person they care for needing to self-isolate. Carers are now also allowed to include hours spent providing emotional support towards the 35- hour threshold of care per week, showing recognition of the important and time-consuming role of providing emotional support whilst caring. Carers in Scotland are also entitled to an additional Carer’s Allowance Supplement of £230.10 from the start of April to end of September 2020.[35]

What would you hope to see in the Government’s National Strategy for Disabled People?

28. The Government’s National Strategy for Disabled People should also reflect how disabled women experience gender inequality, including domestic and sexual violence and abuse: due to their higher vulnerability, disabled people and disabled women in particular experience domestic abuse at double the rate of non-disabled people. During their lifetime, one in two disabled women will experience domestic violence in the UK, compared with one in four for non-disabled women.

29. 1 in 6 (17.3%) disabled women in the UK experienced domestic violence in 2018/2019, compared to 1 in 15 (7.0%) non-disabled women.[36] Disabled women face higher levels of violence than disabled men, and more severe abuse.[37] This high prevalence of violence experienced by disabled women is compounded by the increased difficulty of leaving an abusive relationship; sometimes the abuser is also the caregiver. The type of violence suffered is often related to their condition, including the withholding of medicine and food, or non-provision of help for other personal needs.[38]

30. Disabled women may be particularly at risk of financial abuse – in the form of financial coercion at the hands of family and intimate partners – both because of their disability and because of the disability benefits they receive.[39] Relatives and partners may control access to benefits that women are entitled to because of their disability, increasing their isolation. This control not only leads to financial abuse against disabled women but may also make it harder for them to leave abusive relationships because of both safety concerns and lack of financial resources.[40] Additionally, care packages are not portable so disabled women might be trapped in not being able to move because the care package is tied to the borough where they live. Availability of accessible accommodation is also crucial in disabled women’s decision to leave an abusive relationship.[41]

31. During the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a sharp increase in cases of domestic abuse as well as financial abuse. Sisters of Frida found that the current Covid-19 crisis has forced disabled women to increase dependence on others, placing them at greater risk of domestic abuse.[42] Women with learning difficulties who have experienced domestic and sexual violence have lost one-to-one support from advocates. Deaf women have also experienced difficulty communicating as support has moved mostly over the phone or online. 15% of disabled LGBT people also reported not feeling safe where they were staying during lockdown.[43]

December 2020.