Disability gap
There is a 31% employment gap between people who are disabled or have a health condition and those who do not, according to research from charity Citizen’s Advice.
The government has outlined an aim to halve this gap by 2020, meaning that over a million people will need support to move into or stay in work.
But the charity points out that people with certain conditions, such as those with fluctuating or hidden conditions that can be difficult for employers to understand, are less likely to get the support they need.
Only just over a third of people (36%) whose main condition is a mental health problem are in work.
“Getting over a million people into work is a big task,” said Afzal Rahman, policy researcher for Citizen’s Advice, adding that new approaches need to be taken by government and employers “that recognise ... the importance of timely support and well-designed jobs”.