Delivering social and business value - the differently able - Business Works
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Delivering social and business value - the differently able

by Beth Carruthers, Chief Executive, Remploy In the last four years, Remploy has found more than 50,000 jobs in mainstream employment for people with a range of physical, sensory and mental disabilities and other disadvantages. We are driven by the fundamental belief that every disabled person can, with appropriate support and specialist advice, secure sustainable employment, says Beth Carruthers, Remploy's Chief Exectutive.

We continue to invest in developing innovative approaches and services for employers which are cost effective and business efficient, including consultancy and vocational rehabilitation services. We partner with more than 2500 of the country's biggest employers including BT, Asda, Royal Mail, Sainsbury's, the NHS and Marks & Spencer and operate a national network of more than 60 town and city centre recruitment branches and offices providing specialist recruitment and development services to job seekers.

Recent figures from the Government show a large increase in the number of disabled people taking advantage of support to get or keep a job. The Department for Work and Pensions said almost 10,000 new people claimed support from Access to Work last year, with more than 31,000 now receiving help from the Government-funded scheme. The scheme provides financial support towards the extra costs faced by disabled people at work, such as specialist aids and equipment and the cost of travelling to work.

employing disabled people can deliver real social and economic value for businesses

These figures are very encouraging and underpin the Government's welcome commitment to raising awareness of a scheme that, through funding workplace adjustments, has the potential to significantly boost the number of disabled people in work.

Remploy also delivers the Government's flagship Workplace Mental Health Support Service (WMHSS), which is part of the Access to Work scheme. Since it started delivering the nationwide service in 2012, we have helped more than 2300 people who were at risk of losing their jobs because of their mental health conditions. Ninety per cent of clients who completed the scheme are still in work.

I'm hugely encouraged by the success rate of WMHSS, which is a shining example of how Access to Work is helping people stay in work and off benefits.

The employers we work with share our belief and understand that employing disabled people can deliver real social and economic value for businesses. For those who still believe it is simply too difficult, our aim is to help them remove barriers, increase understanding and ensure that disabled people have the opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise aspirations.



For more information, please visit: www.remploy.co.uk



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