Disabled job seekers ‘need quality assistance’

An expert from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has claimed that people who are disabled or have been on long-term incapacity benefit are likely to find it more difficult than most to find work.

CIPD chief economic adviser John Philpott warned that many employers will be hesitant to hire applicants who have suffered from ill health and been out of work for a lengthy period of time, despite recent government initiatives.

"Undue pressure is unfair and unlikely to prove effective," he explained. "But demonstrating to benefit claimants what they might be able to do – and offering them quality assistance – is ultimately better for their financial and mental wellbeing."

Mr Philpott also called on companies to show "a degree of sensitivity" when introducing individuals who have a background of health concerns into the workplace.

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Earlier in the week, the Department for Work and Pensions revealed that three-quarters of people applying for the new Employment and Support Allowance are being declared fit for work.

Posted by Hayley Edwards