The government has published a strategy for improving work, health and disability (1). Focusing on changes to social security, the workplace, and healthcare system, ministers aim to raise the number of people with disabilities in work from 3.5m to 4.5m (28.5%). They will do this by: improving the capability of Job Centre Plus; providing more […]
New Citizens Advice information on workplace rights. Moving on can be great but also a time of great anxiety. Citizens Advice online has published new information on Leaving a job. It deals with all aspects of the most asked-about issues – resigning, references, dismissal and redundancy. At one time or another most of us need good information […]
On ballot papers for Westminster Election 2017. During the election campaign Citizens Advice Reigate & Banstead will highlight policy issues that matter to the people we help and the whole community. Our national Citizens Advice policy team has listed 3 areas for discussion and questions to candidates: helping consumers get a better deal increased job security delivering welfare reform. Under the […]
Resolution Foundation: restore work allowances. Working families on low-to-middle income have not fared well for years. In advice to the chancellor* ahead of the Autumn Statement (23 November) Resolution Foundation points out that their average incomes were no higher in 2014-15 than 2004-05. The prime minister says her government will work for everyone. Resolution shows that […]
Disability benefits reform. “More personalised” work capability assessments are promised by work and pensions secretary Damian Green. The reform is expected in a DWP Green Paper along with other measures to help people with disabilities into work. The announcement is a welcome response to campaigning by Citizens Advice and others. At CA Reigate & Banstead we’ve strongly backed the call for change. In […]
PM’s employment review. Modern economies and markets are always changing. They need flexible workers. Great for some. Others work long hours but still find it hard to get by. The prime minister knows what’s happening. Taking office in July Theresa May promised action to help those who are “just managing”. She has commissioned an independent review of the impact […]
Left out. People who are disabled or have a health condition are far less likely to be in work than non-disabled people in good health. Across England and Wales, just 49% of those who are disabled or have a health condition are in work. For everyone else this figure is 80% . This is a problem that has […]
Surge continues. The rise in self-employment goes on. Latest official figures (March-May 2016) showed 176,000 more people in work than the previous 3 months. 119,000 (67%) were self-employed. There are now nearly 4.8 million self-employed people in a working population of 31.7 million. The number of self-employed has risen by 800,000 since 2008. This would be good news […]
Access to justice denied. The cost of making a claim at an employment tribunal is reducing access to justice. That’s the opinion of MPs on the Justice Select Committee in a report published this month. Fees were significantly increased in 2013. It now costs £1200 to bring a case for unfair dismissal. Official evidence shows the number of cases […]