PRESS RELEASES

Thursday, 13th October 2005

More Needs To Be Done To Help Disabled People Back To Work

The National Audit Office has called for thousands more disabled people to be brought into government welfare-to-work schemes. Whilst the report broadly praised the Department for Work and Pensions’ existing programmes, it claimed they do not go far enough to address the high cost of supporting those who could work but do not, concluding that the programmes supported only a small number of the people who could potentially benefit.

Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Tooting, Stephanie Dearden said:-

Investment in helping the disabled back to work must be a key part of the welfare reform package. This report shows that where individually targeted help and support is available, disabled people can be helped back into work. With 1 million disabled people across the UK wanting to work, there is a need to invest in high quality support and advice across the whole country. Mr Blunkett seems more interested in courting dramatic media headlines that denigrate and stereotype many Incapacity Benefit recipients than proposing effective measures to help those people back into work.
 

ENDS 

  Stephanie Dearden

Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Tooting

Notes to editors

1. More: http://www.epolitix.com/EN/News/200510/c31d3110-43ca-49ac-a077-e9a555cb95ef.htm     
2. If you would like to arrange an interview with Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Tooting Stephanie Dearden then please call 020-7771-2551 or 07985-649807 or 07754 583090
3. Official photographs here http://www.stephaniedearden.org/smd_mugs/index.htm