RNIB responds to National Audit Office report on supporting disabled people to work

The National Audit Office today released its report on supporting disabled people to work, which shows a 930,000 increase in employment since 2013. However, the report points out that despite the number of support programmes in place for decades, the Government has limited evidence of what actually works.

Sarah Lambert, Head of Social Change at RNIB, said:

“The fact that the Government cannot show how its own schemes have had an impact on disability employment calls into question just how effective they have been.

“While it’s fantastic that employment has generally increased for disabled people, we know that just one in four blind or partially sighted people of working age have a job – and this has worsened from one in three in the last decade.

“Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd recently announced that she wanted to be more ambitious in increasing employment for disabled people. If she is serious about making this happen, Government needs to look at the specific challenges facing blind and partially sighted people and make sure targeted action is taken to ensure they do not continue to be left behind.”

Notes to editors

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About RNIB

We are the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).

Every six minutes, someone in the UK begins to lose their sight. RNIB is taking a stand against exclusion, inequality and isolation to create a world without barriers where people with sight loss can lead full lives. A different world where society values blind and partially sighted people not for the disabilities they’ve overcome, but for the people they are.

RNIB. See differently.

Call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or visit www.rnib.org.uk