- Conference
- 2006 National Disabled Members' Conference
- Date
- 16 June 2006
- Decision
- Carried as Amended
Conference recognises that many disabled people are living in poverty, and the proportion of disabled adults who are unemployed but want to work are almost three times higher than those without a disability. This demonstrates that discrimination in the labour market is a continuing issue.
We know that even where disabled people are in employment, they are more likely to be low paid. Therefore in order to raise people out of poverty, measures must be taken to address the problem of low paid, low status employment for all disabled people.
Conference also acknowledges that disabled people from Black communities are even more likely than their non-disabled peers to experience long-term unemployment, greater poverty and worse life chances.
Conference calls on the National Disabled Members Committee to work with the NEC and Labour Link to press the Government to tackle the many barriers faced by disabled people in gaining and maintaining employment, including to provide improved funding and provision of the Access to Work scheme and its extension to job seekers.
In addition, in reforming the benefits system, the Government must take account of whether the levels of benefit are adequate, particularly in meeting the extra costs faced by all disabled people, whether or not they are employed.