Spring Statement: The Chancellor must use Spring Statement to recognise disabled people’s positive contribution to the economy - Scope
3 min read
Disabled people already contribute positively to the economy as employees, consumers and savers but we know the right Government policies can enable disabled people to contribute further, says Scope.
Tomorrow the Chancellor is due to give the Spring Statement, providing an update on the country’s economic performance.
Disabled people already contribute positively to the economy as employees, consumers and savers but we know the right Government policies can enable disabled people to contribute further. In fact, a 10-percentage point rise in the employment rate amongst disabled people would increase GDP by £45 billion by 2030 and a result in a £12 billion gain to the Exchequer.
The Chancellor should use the upcoming spring statement as an opportunity to recognise disabled people’s positive contribution to the economy and take action to address the barriers disabled people face, which limit their ability to participate in society fully.
The disability employment gap has hovered at around 30 per cent for over a decade and new Scope research shows that disabled people spend £570 a month on costs related to their impairment or condition. Businesses which don’t consider their disabled employees and consumers are missing out on disabled people’s valuable employment skills and the £249 billion disabled households spend as consumers every year. But progress is held back by poor attitudes, limited government action and unfair markets.
Scope research has found that disabled people, on average, apply for 60 per cent more jobs than non-disabled people in their job search. And that nearly half of disabled people have worried about sharing information about their impairment or condition with an employer.
The Government has made a welcome commitment to get 1 million more disabled people into work over the next 10 years. But progress on delivering the reforms needed to support more disabled people to enter, remain and progress in work has been slow. Government and employers need to do more if we are to harness the economic benefits an increased disability employment rate will bring.
Disabled people make a significant contribution to the economy as consumers. But disabled people are all too often under-served as consumers when it comes to the choice of products available and the quality of service. Creating fairer and better functioning markets for disabled people is crucial important to tackle the drivers of extra costs. It also makes good economic sense. Failing to meet the needs of disabled people means that businesses could be missing out on a share of £420 million a week.
Life is much harder than it needs to be for the 13 million disabled people living in the UK today. Now is time to start a new, positive conversation about the contribution disabled people make to this country and our economy.
PoliticsHome Newsletters
Get the inside track on what MPs and Peers are talking about. Sign up to The House's morning email for the latest insight and reaction from Parliamentarians, policy-makers and organisations.
