Trust welcomes calls for specialist support to get disabled people into work

papworth-logo-newPapworth Trust has today welcomed a select committee’s Welfare to Work report which calls for greater support for getting people with complex needs back into work.

Among other recommendations, the Work and Pensions Committee have called on the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to maintain, and ideally, expand a separate specialist scheme for people with substantial disabilities.

Papworth Trust, which supports more than 5,000 disabled and older people every year, recently showed the select committee around its work programme in Cambridge.

Vicky McDermott, chief executive of Papworth Trust, said: “We welcome the report and the importance the Work and Pensions Committee has placed on helping people with complex needs. It is critical the support they receive is personalised, especially those customers who are further from the job market.

“We also welcome the call from the committee for greater transparency in sharing Work Programme data and figures, which would also help towards a greater understanding of best practice.

“We look forward to hearing the Government’s response to this report and to the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review in November.”

In addition to comfortably hitting targets for people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance, Papworth Trust has bucked the trend for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claimants – exceling at transforming lives through employment after training and support on our Work Programme.

Vicky added: “Providing payments that reflect the level of support that many customers – particularly ESA claimants – need to be ready for work would enable providers like Papworth Trust to tackle the complex issues which make many customers harder to help.”

The select committee believes expanding a specialist scheme is the only way for the Government to realise its aspiration to halve the gap between the employment rate of disabled people and that of the non-disabled population – which would see more than one million currently unemployed or economically inactive disabled people entering paid work.

About Papworth Trust: 

Papworth Trust offers essential support and care to disabled and older people, their families and carers. We help people of all ages to live independently in their own homes, to learn new skills, and to find and keep jobs that are right for them. To find out more about the charity please go to www.papworthtrust.org.uk.

Accessibility Tools