Following the Labour government’s announcement around their Back to Work scheme today, disability equality charity Scope is speaking out. The executive director of strategy, James Taylor, applauded some aspects but made a desperate plea requiring some urgent attention. He shared: “The government has set out a positive vision.
Tackling economic inactivity by addressing the root causes of ill health and NHS waiting lists, rather than demonising people who are too unwell to work, is a victory for common sense.” The expert also praised Labour ’s “localised approach” and requested that they “go further” to tackle other barriers disabled people face in the workplace. This included: “employers’ negative attitudes, inflexible working practices, and backlogs getting the right support”.
Lastly, he urgently pleaded that the DWP “reassure disabled people who aren’t well enough to work that they won’t be forced into unsuitable jobs, or have vital financial support taken away”. Which is the fear for many facing the changing landscape of the benefits system under Labour. The new Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall unveiled the government’s commitments to the Back to Work Plan in Leeds today.
The scheme is set to tackle economic inactivity to aid Labour’s “number one mission of growing the economy”. Currently, 9.4 million people are economically inactive, with 2.
8 million out of work due to long-term sickness. Kendall confirmed the three pillars of t.