A new TUC report Disability and employment, looks at the experiences of disabled people in the labour market and finds that they are still at a significant disadvantage compared to other workers. The report’s key findings include:

– Disabled people generally have much lower employment rates than for non-disabled people – an average of 31% lower from 2008 to 2013.

– The disability penalty for accessing work is greater for women than men – the employment rate for disabled men is 36 per cent lower than the non-disabled rate, but for women it is 39.5 per cent lower.

– People with mental illness related disabilities are among the least likely to be employed of all disabled people.

The TUC believes the Government should do more to end the disability penalty and improve employment rates for disabled people, including increased funding for the Access to Work scheme and reform of the benefit sanctions regime to protect and support people with mental illness.

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