The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is the government department most closely involved with disabled people – one of its Ministers is Sarah Newton, the Minister for Disabled People.
And her boss is Esther McVey – criticised because of her department attempting to deny thousands of disabled people their financial rights! Later corrected after the subsequent outcry.
So you would think that they would now be the leaders in government putting the rights of the disabled employee first. WRONG!
Esther McVey – Secretary of State at the DWP
From our ‘Freedom of Information’ request we have learnt the following. And it’s a case of this department seemingly not leading the race to promote disability in the workforce!
With 20% of the UK’s population classed as disabled you would think that The DWP (a Ministry that is deeply involved with disability) would be striving to show the country that it was a leader in disability employment.
We asked the DWP the following question based on their total employment figure of 83,406 people.
Q) Of the above total amount how many of those ’employees’ are disabled? (that is; disabled under the definition of the Equality Act 2010 which reads “you’re disabled under the Act if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities).”
7.5%
A) As at 30 June 2018 of the 89.9% of employees who chose to indicate their disability, 7.5% indicated that they were disabled
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We have written to the two Ministers most involved asking for their views.