The government announces employment reforms

The government has announced the Get Britain Working White Paper to reform employment, healthcare and skills support. The government promises that this will tackle economic inactivity and help people find good work.

Our response

Mel Merritt, head of policy and campaigns at the National Autistic Society, said: “Only 30% of autistic people are employed, the lowest of all disabilities. This should not be the case. Most autistic people are able and willing to work, but face multiple barriers to finding and advancing in employment. We hope that today’s reforms will close the unacceptable autism employment gap and effectively remove these barriers.

“We welcome the independent research into how employers can better support people with disabilities, and the commitment to engage with people with disabilities about the Green Paper. Job centers and employment supports need a major overhaul, and changes should include autism training for all job coaches and assessors.

“Although the review of the disability benefits system is long overdue, for many autistic and disabled people there is a culture of guilt and fear around work and benefits, and it is important that their voices are heard during this process. Autistic people face barriers to employment, including poor understanding of autism, discrimination and a lack of accommodations. Unless the government takes action to remove these barriers, autistic people will not be able to fully take up the government’s offer of support and risk being unfairly punished.”

Further information