Young disabled people are being promised more support to help them gain the skills and experience they need to secure employment.
Under changes to the Government’s specialist disability employment scheme, announced on 16 July, disabled people on traineeships, supported internships, work trials and work academies will, for the first time, get additional help through the Access to Work scheme. This provides funding towards the extra costs disabled people face in work, such as travel costs, specially adapted equipment or support workers.
Recent changes also mean that businesses with up to 49 employees will save up to £2,300 per employee who uses the fund by no longer paying a contribution towards the extra costs faced by disabled people in work.
Disabled jobseekers who want to set up their own business through the New Enterprise Allowance are also eligible for Access to Work funding. Government research suggests that nearly half (45 per cent) of those on the Access to Work programme would be unemployed if they did not receive support through the scheme.
Information on the scheme, and how to access it in your area, can be found at:
www.gov.uk/access-to-work
