Written evidence from Bright Blue (DEG0122)

In July 2017, Bright Blue published a report, Britain breaking barriers, which provided a  comprehensive and compelling set of policies to strengthen human rights and tackle all forms of discrimination in Britain. Our research was based on a year-long investigation informed by four key sources of evidence. First, we conducted an open invitation for expert individuals and organisations to submit written evidence. Second, we hosted an oral evidence session, which involved expert representatives from different organisations related to human rights and discrimination. Third, we conducted two invite-only policy roundtables with leading centre-right and independent decision makers and opinion formers. Finally, we conducted site visits with relevant organisations, including from different organisations, to understand in detail particular human rights and discrimination issues.

How can DWP better support employers to take on and retain disabled employees, and to help them progress in work?

Our research suggests that one of the main reasons why employers are reluctant to employ disabled people is that they fear the cost of making reasonable adjustments might be too high. However, reasonable adjustments often cost less than an employer anticipates, meaning employer concerns around reasonable adjustments are sometimes misplaced.

To give employers greater certainty over reasonable adjustment costs, the Government should establish a scheme by which SMEs can be provided with a free ‘Access Audit’. This Access Audit would reveal whether the employer's premises are suitable for disabled people and, if not, the cost of rectifying that. SMEs who were successfully audited would be encouraged to become Disability Confident.

The costs of supporting disabled employees through training can also present challenges to some employers. To provide a concrete incentive to employers to not only take on disabled employees but help them progress in work, we recommended that the Government should introduce an employer bonus for every disabled person successfully completing an apprenticeship. The revenue generated from the government’s apprenticeship levy should be used to finance this.

Additionally, the Government should scrap employers NICs on each disabled person an employer hires permanently. This should be done in line with the reforms introduced for employers of young apprentices in 2016, so an employer will not pay employers NIC on any disabled employee earning under gross £866 a week.

How effective is the Disability Confident scheme?

The Disability Confident (DC) scheme has succeeded in terms of gaining coverage among businesses. In Britain breaking barriers, we noted that before its relaunch in 2016, the DC scheme had only managed to attract 40 mainstream private sector employers; there are now over 18,000 organisations signed up to the scheme.

However, the scheme operates on a voluntary basis whereby employers can reach the first two levels by assessing themselves on their recruitment of disabled people and how they support existing disabled employees. The use of self-assessment risks similar issues to the previous ‘two ticks’ scheme, which has attracted widespread criticism for lacking concrete oversight and allowing companies who did not live up to the standards the programme aimed to encourage to gain accreditation.

To ensure the DC scheme is more effective, we recommended that employers should be externally-assessed rather than self-assessed. To increase uptake, only Disability Confident employers should be able to access the aforementioned employer bonus for every disabled person who successfully completes an apprenticeship.

What improvements should DWP make to the support it offers to unemployed disabled people via Jobcentre Plus?

Given that many disabled people are reliant on Jobcentres when looking for employment, we recommend that the Government should mandate that at least one staff member in each Jobcentre is a disability employment adviser.

About Bright Blue

Bright Blue is an independent think tank that champions liberal conservatism. Our work is guided by five research themes: social reform; immigration and integration; ageing society; green conservatism; and human rights. We were shortlisted for the 2016, 2017 and 2018 and 2019 UK social policy think tank of the year and UK environment and energy think tank of the year in the prestigious Prospect Magazine annual awards.

December 2020