Disability Unemployment

Healthy Places
Economic and Working Conditions
Disability Unemployment
Unemployment
Disability
Supported Employment
Long-term Health Conditions
Autism
Learning Disability
SEND
Special Educational Needs and Disability
EHCP
Education Health and Care Plan
Employer
Work
Good Work
MSK
Supported Internships
Welfare Rights

introduction Introduction

The Equality Act 20101 protects disabled people from unfair treatment and discrimination in the workplace. The Act says that you are disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.

Disabled people or people with a long-term health condition in the UK face significant barriers to employment, contributing to higher rates of poverty within this group. This socioeconomic disadvantage not only affects the individual’s ability to lead a healthy life but also perpetuates health inequalities across society. Poorer health outcomes are more common among those with lower socioeconomic status, and unemployment among disabled people exacerbates these disparities.

People with disabilities face significant challenges in securing and maintaining employment due to several factors. Health-related barriers, such as physical impairments, chronic conditions, mental illnesses, and cognitive challenges, limit job opportunities. Inaccessible and inflexible workplaces and a lack of necessary accommodations, like sound and lighting, ramps, adaptive equipment, and technology, further hinder employment. Discrimination and employer bias, combined with workplace stigma, discourage job seekers, and can affect those already employed. Additionally, educational barriers often result in mismatched skills. Socioeconomic factors, such as poverty and social isolation, limit access to education, training, and job opportunities. Inadequate employment services, limited knowledge of funding and complex benefits systems may make it harder for disabled individuals to find and keep jobs. Finally, those living in rural areas or older disabled workers face compounded difficulties due to fewer and less varied job opportunities, limited support, limited transport options and ageism.

why is it important to population health Why is it important to Population Health?

Reducing disability unemployment is crucial for population health as it helps alleviate poverty, which is strongly linked to better health outcomes, by providing financial stability and reducing reliance on social welfare. Employment also improves mental and physical health by offering a sense of purpose and access to better healthcare, while reducing social isolation and stress. It promotes social inclusion, helping to integrate people with disabilities into society and challenging negative stereotypes. Furthermore, employment can reduce health inequalities by giving disabled individuals access to resources that support healthier lifestyles and the prevention of chronic conditions. A diverse workforce not only fosters innovation and productivity but also boosts the economy, generating resources that benefit population health and social care for everyone.

the derbyshire population approach The Derbyshire Population Health Approach

The Derbyshire Population Health Approach focuses on prevention, population health, evidence-informed practices, causes, and collaboration. It emphasises proactive measures to prevent health issues, tailors interventions to specific populations, incorporates evidence-informed practices, addresses underlying causes, and promotes collaboration for effective action.

When considering the topic of disability unemployment within The Derbyshire Population Health Approach:

• Prevention Prevention

Population health aims to tackle the causes of disability unemployment through system leadership and collaboration at all levels. Our strategy supports the development of a settings-based approach.

The settings approach to health promotion focuses on improving the environments where people live, work, and play. Instead of just trying to change individual behaviours, this approach looks at the bigger picture, making the environment itself more supportive of healthy choices. By tailoring interventions to specific settings, like workplaces, and involving the people within them, this method increases the chances of success and creates lasting change.

Schools and colleges provide an in-house careers service with the quality of provision offered defined by a set of eight standards called Gatsby Benchmarks2. One of the benchmarks is to ‘address the needs of each student,’ in practice the provision for disability varies by provider.

For those having left education, Derbyshire County Council provides a National Careers Service (NCS) with specialist Youth Employment Support (YES - aimed at those 18-24)3 and an Adult Community Education Service. There are dedicated services for disability employment such as a Supported Internship4 Partnership team, Disability Employment Service (DES) and Employer Engagement team (the last two funded by Public Health). These teams work closely with the NCS and YES teams as well as other partners in social care and population health to remove barriers to employment with a holistic person-centred employment support offer.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP (Department for Work and Pensions)) has two important schemes to support disabled people into work – Access to Work 5and Disability Confident Employer6. Access to Work is a fund applied for by a person with a disability to help with any costs of employment and can be used for training, equipment, transport, and support.

Employers can use the Disability Confident Employer scheme to commit to supporting disabled people in the workplace and is free to join. Among other actions, the employer must agree to give an interview to any disabled candidate that meets the Job Specification Criteria and in return can use the logo and web recruiting tools.

Outside of the Local Authority umbrella there are several organisations (often funded by central government departments and charities) that work with individuals to provide supported employment, apprenticeships, and supported internships. There is also a category in the Kings Award for Enterprise7 which promotes social mobility.

• Population Population

Disability unemployment varies widely based on factors like geography, socioeconomic status, education, age, ethnicity, and gender identity. Rural areas and economically deprived regions present more barriers for disabled people because there are fewer job opportunities, services, and transportation options available. Lower levels of education and skills gaps related to local demands make it harder for younger and older disabled individuals to find work, increasing their risk of unemployment.

People from marginalized groups or low-income backgrounds face even greater challenges, including prejudice, mental health struggles and difficulties transitioning from education to work. Families and caregivers often experience financial strain due to caregiving responsibilities. This further highlighting the need for targeted policies to support disabled individuals across diverse backgrounds and circumstances.

Across all ethnicity’s, disabled people are less likely to be employed than non-disabled people. Employment rates for both disabled and non-disabled individuals tend to rise with age until around fifty, after which they start to decline. Disabled adults are also less likely to have a degree than non-disabled adults, and even when they do have a degree, they typically earn less than their non-disabled counterparts.

• Evidence Evidence

The Population Health approach to disability unemployment is guided by research that identifies the barriers disabled individuals face in securing and maintaining employment. Evidence shows that disabled people encounter significant obstacles, including discrimination, inaccessible workplaces, and inadequate accommodations. These factors contribute to a wide employment gap between disabled and non-disabled people.

Research underscores the value of tailored support and workplace adaptations, such as flexible hours and accessible facilities, in improving employment outcomes for disabled individuals. Creating supportive work environments and addressing these barriers has been shown to reduce unemployment rates for this group.

Additionally, evidence suggests that early intervention, engagement with employers, and comprehensive workplace support can significantly enhance employment prospects for disabled people. By using these insights, local initiatives can be designed to better address the unique challenges faced by disabled individuals, ensuring they have equal opportunities in the workforce within Derbyshire.

• Causes Causes

The social model of disability, developed by disabled people, views disability as being caused by barriers in society, not by a person’s health condition or impairment. According to this model, societal obstacles, rather than individual limitations, are what disable people.

Barriers to Employment

Inaccessible workplaces such as those lacking adaptive equipment, inaccessibility of office space and facilities such as toilets and kitchens, inappropriate sound and lighting, lack of storage for medication, flexibility in shift patterns, and inadequate transport options can prevent disabled individuals from finding or keeping a job. Additionally, employers may hold conscious or unconscious biases, wrongly assuming that disabled people are less capable or would need too many accommodations. This bias can lead to fewer job offers for disabled candidates.

Recruitment processes may also deter disabled applicants – for example not using neutral or bias free wording, overly complicated job specifications, not providing contact details or transparency in the hiring process and a lack of representation or welcome on company websites all play a part in determining the demographic of a cohort of applicants. Even though an employer may commit to the Disability Confident Scheme and guarantee an interview, a person with a health condition or neurodiversity might not identify as Disabled or may not feel confident to declare a condition.

Traditional onboarding and employee training resources, timescales and programmes might not be suitable, and managers may require up to date training.

Workplace Stigma

Even when employed, disabled people may face stigma and inappropriate behaviour from colleagues, affecting their work experience and job security.

This negative environment can also discourage other disabled individuals from applying for jobs both within and in other businesses.

Educational Barriers

Disabled people often have lower levels of education due to barriers in the education system, such as a lack of support, inaccessible materials, or frequent absences due to health issues. At higher education level accessible student accommodation is more expensive, teaching spaces at older campuses are often less accessible and there is a lower rate of disabled students attending Russell Group Universities.

As a result, their skills may not align with job market demands, especially if they have been excluded from certain educational or vocational training opportunities including opportunities for work experience and professional placements as part of qualifications.

Poverty and Social Isolation

Disabled individuals are more likely to live in poverty, which can limit their access to education, training, and transportation as well as expectations and societal norms within the community. Social isolation, often caused by disability, further reduces opportunities for networking and finding jobs.

Legal Protections and Challenges

Laws like the Equality Act 2010 are designed to protect disabled workers, but these protections may fall short due to inadequate enforcement or lack of awareness. Additionally, the complexity of the benefits system can discourage disabled people from seeking employment.

Geographic Barriers

People living in rural or economically disadvantaged areas face additional challenges, including fewer job opportunities, reduced range of employment sectors, limited access to support services, and poor transport links.

• Collaboration Collaboration

Collaboration across the wider system is essential to remove barriers and enhance employment opportunities for disabled people. There are national, regional, and local initiatives and we aim to understand and integrate them into a local offer suitable for Derbyshire.

The Derbyshire Disability Employment Forum (run by the Disability Employer Engagement team in Public Health) brings together employers and their representatives, people with lived experience, partners such as supported employment providers, charities and stakeholders including the DWP to gather insight, consider current evidence, identify challenges, and develop solutions.

Localities teams within Public Health organise Financial Inclusion and Social Connectedness groups. These operate within the Derbyshire districts/boroughs and are attended by local and countywide organisations that include partners and stakeholders in disability employment including the Disability Employment service.

There is also an Autism Community of Practise that discusses (among other topics) employment issues specifically relating to neurodiversity.


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Prevalence Maps of Derbyshire

The maps below illustrate Lower Super Output Areas (LSOAs) and Middle Super Output Areas (MSOAs) for Derbyshire. LSOAs and MSOAs are geographical divisions used for statistical purposes, allowing for more detailed analysis of local data. In these maps, you can explore various health indicators and data for Derbyshire, providing valuable insights into the area’s health and wellbeing.