Amber Rudd, the Secretary of State for Work & Pensions, has launched a £40 million personalised support package for long-term unemployed disabled people. Stating that, “Disabled people will be able to work with a dedicated key worker to get and stay in employment.”
Amber Rudd – Secretary of State for Work & Pensions
The Intensive Personalised Employment Support programme will provide highly personalised packages of employment support for people who are at least a year away from moving into work.
People will get coaching to help build their independence, confidence and motivation, as well as work experience to help boost their career prospects.
This is what the Secretary for Work & Pensions had to say.
“Everyone, no matter what their background is, should have the opportunity to thrive in the workplace, and having the the right support in place for disabled people is one of my greatest priorities. To truly help people there can be no one-size-fits-all approach.”
“That’s why this new programme is designed to offer people, who may think they will never move into work, tailored support to help them overcome any personal barriers they may have in the first instance, and then to focus on boosting their skills.
There are also huge economic benefits to improving disability employment rates. More than half of disabled people are in work, but in order to realise the full potential of disabled people in Britain we want to go further and see one million more disabled people in work by 2027.”
People on the scheme will get a dedicated key worker who will work with them to overcome complex barriers which may be preventing them from entering work, ensuring they have a personal support network in place.
The voluntary scheme will be rolled out across England and Wales in 2019, and applicants will receive support for up to 21 months, including 6 months of in-work support for those who get a job.”
Neil Heslop – Chief Executive of Leonard Cheshire
Mr. Heslop voiced his support for schemes designed to provide tailored help.
“Many disabled people with complex needs face significant barriers in accessing the workplace. It’s crucial that specialised employment support is available and the government responds to the challenges people often encounter.
A more tailored approach can help reach those who are not currently receiving any employment support or skills development. The experiences of disabled people must be central for this support to meaningfully build confidence in an ongoing way, reflecting their individual circumstances and aspirations.”
For more information regarding ‘Access To Work’ CLICK HERE
For more information about ‘Jobcentre Plus’ services CLICK HERE