A report by the Public Accounts Committee has highlighted that a lack of assistive technology provision is one of the continuing challenges facing disabled and neurodiverse people when it comes to finding long-term employment.
The report, which analyses the Department for Work and Pensions and their current and ongoing support provision, found that there are seven million working-age adults in the UK with a disability or a relevant long-term health condition but only a little over half of them are currently in work. This means that well over three million people with disabilities or relevant long-term health issues are currently lacking in long-term and stable employment, and may even be struggling to meet their financial needs because of it.
Assistive technology can from a bridge between the world of work and people who learn, move and think differently – it can be the difference between finding information systems impossible to navigate and simple to use, it can be the difference between finding the act of reading slow and laborious to easily being able to take in the information that you require. And it can take many forms – some assistive technology free, such as browser extensions and in-built text-to-speech technology. But some have to be purchased separately, such as portable text reading aids and adapted workstations, and some assistive technology items are relatively expensive, such as Braille displays.
The government’s National Disability Strategy, published at the end of July, recognised that people who are disabled lack access to the technologies that would allow them to find and maintain employment and improve their working experience. It’s a new strategy that is designed to make accessibility and inclusivity common practice in all spheres of employment, and break down the barriers that can keep people out of work if they’re neurodiverse or have disabilities.
The Access to Work grant is designed to cover these kinds of adaptations and purchases. This is a programme initiated by the UK Government that’s aimed at helping people who require specific support to take up or remain in work. It’s an important part of making sure that everybody who works has the tools and the frameworks in place to make sure that they’re able to do their job to the best of their ability, and they’re not going to struggle for want of anything. However many people who are eligible for support under the scheme either aren’t aware of what’s available, or struggle to access what they need through their training provider or employer – and many people who have disabilities or are neurodiverse fall victim to recruitment processes that aren’t inclusive, or don’t allow them to show their strengths.
The Access to Work framework provides help to some 25,000 people a year in the UK, helping them create a working environment in which they can succeed and achieve. However when we consider that there are currently just under 4 million people of working age who are neurodiverse or disable that don’t currently have employment, there appears a large gap between the number of people that actually receive assistance, and the number that need it.
The report by the Public Accounts Committee did find that there have been some recent advances in real terms – many Jobcentres now have a number of accessible computers with assistive technology provision to help people in their communities look for jobs and training. But the report’s recommendations state clearly that in order to make progress, the Department of Work and Pensions must obtain good-quality diversity data for all claimants and ensure that its evaluations of all its employment support programmes include an assessment of the impact for different groups.
You can read more on the Public Accounts Committee report at Public Technology.