The disability employment gap hasn’t changed for a decade, staying “stubbornly” put at around 30%.  That miserable statistic is one of the headline facts in the new “Think Work First” report from the House of Lords Public Services Committee.  

This statistic is made of real stories, and countless missed opportunities. As the report highlights, too many disabled people are being written off, battling against negative presumptions, which, little by little, can start to shape someone’s story into something it never should have been.  We are calling for this report to be a trigger for change.  

We were pleased to contribute evidence to the report, sharing the thoughts and experiences of people we support and our dedicated supported employment staff. We agree with each of the recommendations, in particular that “the Government should increase the number of targeted programmes like supported internships and accessible apprenticeships, and should take steps to improve access to specialist careers advice and education for young disabled people.” We have joined forces with Brandon Trust, Certitude, Choice Support, Dimensions, and MacIntyre to call for the government to introduce a ‘kickstart’ equivalent for employing autistic young people and young people with learning disabilities, to help bridge the disability employment gap once and for all.  

The report recognises that supported employment placements can be “transformational”, and we completely agree. We would encourage employers to connect with us, and to set up supported employment placements in their workplaces to ensure nobody else is ever “written off” again.