In the UK there are around 16 million people with a disability (Kirk-Wade, 2023). In England, in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, 60% of COVID-19-related deaths occurred among disabled individuals. People with learning disabilities faced an astonishing eight times higher risk of death from COVID-19 than the general population. The statistics are alarming but what is equally distressing is that many disabled individuals are not surprised by these findings. These numbers highlight the numerous inequalities that disabled people continue to face in British society (Fenney et al, 2022). The Equality Act 2010 prohibits disability discrimination in various areas of life, including services, employment and education.
There are approximately one million disabled individuals in the UK who aspire to work (Scope, 2023a) but they encounter obstacles that prevent them from doing so, including discrimination by employers, difficulties in accessing necessary support and inflexible working arrangements. Disabled people are being pushed out of jobs because they cannot get the flexibility that they need in order to do their job. Delay in providing them with the equipment and/or support that they need may mean that they have to work without reasonable adjustments being made and as a result they can be perceived as underperforming
It has to be acknowledged that not all disabled people can work. Continuing to blame disabled people for the rise in ‘economically inactive’ individuals is a convenient excuse (Taylor, 2024). The true issues that need addressing include the additional costs of disability that current state services fail to cover, the discriminatory attitudes of employers and the broken benefits system. Only by tackling these failures can we create a truly equal future for everyone.
Individuals with disabilities persistently face unfair extra costs. According to Mallorie and Row (2023), disabled individuals typically earn less and incur higher living expenses than their non-disabled counterparts, making it unsurprising that the cost-of-living crisis has disproportionately affected them – 50% of disabled individuals report reducing their spending on food and other essentials due to rising living costs, compared with 38% of non-disabled individuals. The increased expenses for specialised equipment, greater use of everyday necessities and energy and abysmal shortcomings in the welfare system all contribute to the heightened difficulty that disabled households face (Scope, 2023b).
If the barriers faced by disabled people who aspire to work are to be addressed, concerted efforts are needed from various stakeholders. This may involve implementing anti-discrimination measures in the workplace, providing better access to support services, promoting inclusive employment practices and advocating for policies that foster workplace flexibility and appropriate accommodation. We need to quash the grossly offensive, hostile and damaging notion that there is a ‘sick note culture’.
The new government must take a proactive approach in addressing the needs and concerns of disabled individuals. This begins with actively listening to disabled people about the changes that are necessary to improve their lives. Enhancing workplace health through innovative, responsive and individualised initiatives will be of benefit to each and every one of us.