GETTING disabled people off benefits and into the workplace is the aim of the latest initiative launched by the Government this week.

The new Employment And Support Allowance marks the death of the old Incapacity Benefits system for new applicants and, according to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), “is tailor-made for disabled people and people with ill-health”.

The DWP says this is the end of the era of writing people off and marks “the dawn of a new benefit, designed to give people the support they need to improve their health, their skills and look for work”.

The new assessment is designed to look at what people can do rather than what they can’t, according to the department. And it will ensure that those who can work are given the help and support they need to get back to work and will make sure that no one is written off and consigned to a life on benefits.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, James Purnell said: “In the 1990s people were written off on Incapacity Benefit with no help to overcome their problems or support to get them into work. It is even more important during an economic downturn that we increase support for people, not take it away.

“The introduction of Employment And Support Allowance, which marks a significant landmark for the delivery of our welfare reforms, will offer the help and support disabled people and people with ill health are telling us they want in order for them to get back to work.”

But is this just a case of the Government bullying people back to work who are not up to the job?

Claimants who are assessed as being able to prepare for work will be required to engage in a “back to work programme” and will be assigned a personal adviser who will help them overcome any specific barriers to work, including having a skills check and getting involved in work experience opportunities.

York-based equality consultant Lynn Jeffries remains cautious about the scheme.

“The idea behind it makes a lot of sense’” she said. “There are a lot of people sat on benefits who would love to work, but the reality is that the workplace isn’t the most inviting place for disabled people.

“It looks good on paper, but people are worried about getting forced in to work. Some people, with the best will in the world, may not be able to get into work.

“Many buildings in York were built at a time when disabled people were just not considered and, of course, there are still bad attitudes towards disabled people.”

Ms Jeffries said she believed the Government often consulted the wrong people when setting up such schemes and pointed out what she believed to be a perfectly good system, Access To Work, already in place for employers.

She added: “If you employ a disabled person and you need to make adjustments, Access To Work will make this happen, but it’s one of the Government’s best-kept secrets.

“The workplace needs to change – the population is getting older and you do acquire impairments as you get older, so we need to change.”

Ms Jeffries went on to single-out City Of York Council, who, she claimed, should be leading by example and doing more for the disabled, as one of the city’s largest employers.

A council spokeswoman, defended the authority saying a “comprehensive equalities policy” was in place to ensure no one received less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, race, ethnicity, mobility of lifestyle, religion, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, people who intend to undergo, are undergoing or have undergone gender reassignment, disability or HIV status.

“We value diversity and welcome applications from all people,” she said.

“People with a disability are guaranteed an interview if they meet the essential criteria for the role and the council is committed to making reasonable adjustments to jobs to ensure that the working environment and practices are accessible for disabled employees so that they can reach their full potential at work.

“We will continue to work with teams across the council to encourage and enable disabled people to apply for jobs at the authority.”

Amanda Todd, of employment agency Spring Personnel, in Skeldergate, was also positive about job opportunities for the disabled in York.

“I think it can be quite difficult because in York a lot of buildings are very old and we aren’t allowed to change them.

“But we have never come across anyone who is negative towards disabled people.

“But there are so many types of disability – we have had people who are deaf working for us and there has been no problem.

“If people come in and they have the right skills match then we will place them in a suitable position.”