Marvin OnumonuThe Disability Confident scheme to help employers recruit and keep disabled people has been reformed as part of the Government’s Plan for Change.
The Government said changes will provide more tailored support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and boost peer-to-peer support for employers.
New standards will be shaped by the views of disabled people.
The scheme, first launched in 2016, delivered mixed support in different parts of the UK and often missed local needs.
Research found two thirds of employers said joining the scheme had a positive impact, but the Keep Britain Working review led by Sir Charlie Mayfield said it “lacks teeth”.
The Government is now taking action to prevent ill-health, support people to stay in work, and help employers create healthier workplaces.
The changes mean employers will only be able to stay at the entry level for two years instead of three, with no renewal option, to encourage them to progress.
Support for SMEs will be tailored to their needs.
Employers will be connected for peer-to-peer support and good practice sharing, with resources provided to help them get the most out of the scheme.
The scheme will reflect the real experiences of disabled people.
The reforms aim to make the scheme more useful for employers and improve employment outcomes for disabled people.
The Government said improving the scheme will help more than 2.8 million people long-term sick in the UK move into secure jobs.
Around 19,000 employers are signed up to the current scheme, supporting an estimated 11 million employees.
Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms, said: “Disability Confident – with around 19,000 employers signed up – has enormous potential.
“For too long, though, it has not delivered enough support for disabled people, or for employers who want to recruit, retain and develop disabled people.
“That’s why we are improving the scheme, through robust reforms to ensure a better service for all, including through greater support for SMEs and improving access to resources for employers.”
Timms added: “This comes alongside our investment of £1 billion a year in employment support by the end of the decade, and our Connect to Work programme which will help 300,000 sick or disabled people into work by the end of the parliament.”
Sally Gardner, business solutions manager at Tees Valley Mayoral Combined Authority, said: “Tees Valley Combined Authority supports the proposed reforms to the Disability Confident scheme and welcomes the opportunity to test new approaches that will strengthen the scheme’s impact.
“These changes, including tailored support for SMEs and enhanced verification, will help ensure the scheme continues to drive meaningful progress and promote greater inclusivity for businesses in our region.”
Tina McKenzie, policy chair, Federation of Small Businesses, said: “Adding a small business-focused track to Disability Confident is a good move, delivering on something that FSB proposed in our 2022 Business Without Barriers report.
“Ensuring that the great work done by countless small businesses to support disabled employees can be captured and recognised is an important step, and we look forward to seeing how Disability Confident can be shaped in other ways to make it as relevant and useful to small firms as possible.”
