DWP Select Committee Inquiry into the role of assistive technology in improving disabled people's employment rates
19th January 2017
The Select Committee for Work and Pensions have an inquiry into the role of assistive technology in improving disabled people's employment rates. On their web site they say:
The Committee invites evidence on the role of assistive technology in improving disabled people's employment rates, drawing on the Government’s response to the Committee’s Disability employment gap report.
They ask three questions. The first question is: What role can assistive technology play in removing barriers to work and helping disabled people stay in work?
DeafATW has sent evidence, based on DeafATW’s cap survey, answering just this question, looking at the remote interpreting services and how they don't help most people manage with a capped ATW award. We also provide evidence that there is no other assistive technology useful to Deaf BSL users who are capped. You can download it here.
The Select Committee for Work and Pensions have an inquiry into the role of assistive technology in improving disabled people's employment rates. On their web site they say:
The Committee invites evidence on the role of assistive technology in improving disabled people's employment rates, drawing on the Government’s response to the Committee’s Disability employment gap report.
They ask three questions. The first question is: What role can assistive technology play in removing barriers to work and helping disabled people stay in work?
DeafATW has sent evidence, based on DeafATW’s cap survey, answering just this question, looking at the remote interpreting services and how they don't help most people manage with a capped ATW award. We also provide evidence that there is no other assistive technology useful to Deaf BSL users who are capped. You can download it here.
DWP Select Committee Inquiry into AtW cap on support grants
22nd December 2017
The Select Committee for Work and Pensions have an inquiry into the impact of the cap on AtW. On their web site they say:
The Parliamentary and Health Service and Ombudsman recently published a report on complaints about Access to Work. In its conclusion, the report raised concern about the impact of the cap set on Access to Work support.
This means funding for support workers is provided on the basis of an annual salary only, and is limited to 1.5x of national earnings. The Committee is examining the effects of the cap on the employment of disabled people.
DeafATW has sent evidence, based on DeafATW’s cap survey. Stopchanges2ATW, BDA, Inclusion London, and two individual Deaf people have also sent evidence. You can read them here.
The Select Committee for Work and Pensions have an inquiry into the impact of the cap on AtW. On their web site they say:
The Parliamentary and Health Service and Ombudsman recently published a report on complaints about Access to Work. In its conclusion, the report raised concern about the impact of the cap set on Access to Work support.
This means funding for support workers is provided on the basis of an annual salary only, and is limited to 1.5x of national earnings. The Committee is examining the effects of the cap on the employment of disabled people.
DeafATW has sent evidence, based on DeafATW’s cap survey. Stopchanges2ATW, BDA, Inclusion London, and two individual Deaf people have also sent evidence. You can read them here.
Select Committee questions to Sarah Newton about the AtW cap
22nd December 2017
The Select Committee for Work and Pensions met with Sarah Newton, the new Minister for Disability, 20/12/17. This meeting was mainly to look at evidence about PIP and ESA assessments.
But at the end of the meeting Heidi Allen MP (Conservative, South Cambridgeshire), asked Sarah Newton about the cap to ATW, and how it would affect the Deaf community, because the capped ATW award doesn’t cover the normal costs of interpreting.
Sarah said several things in her answer, that
It is a shame that the Select Committee did not ask what ‘technologies and approaches’ she meant, because DeafATW only know of one ‘technology’ and one ‘approach’. These are:
You can read the questions and answers about ATW and the cap here.
You can read the transcript of the whole debate here.
You can watch the debate on parliament TV, although it doesn’t have subtitles. The questions about ATW start about 1 hour 50 minutes in.
The Select Committee for Work and Pensions met with Sarah Newton, the new Minister for Disability, 20/12/17. This meeting was mainly to look at evidence about PIP and ESA assessments.
But at the end of the meeting Heidi Allen MP (Conservative, South Cambridgeshire), asked Sarah Newton about the cap to ATW, and how it would affect the Deaf community, because the capped ATW award doesn’t cover the normal costs of interpreting.
Sarah said several things in her answer, that
- ATW wanted to make sure that employers honour their commitments to make reasonable adjustments.
- Deaf people affected by the cap are being helped to look at new technologies and different approaches to bring costs down.
- The minister for disability at the time the cap was announced said there would always be flexibility, and it was always planned to review it.
- That she had met some Deaf BSL users affected by the cap, and would be meeting with MPs who have asked questions about the cap, and stakeholders.
It is a shame that the Select Committee did not ask what ‘technologies and approaches’ she meant, because DeafATW only know of one ‘technology’ and one ‘approach’. These are:
- ‘Technology’ - Remote interpreting, which only helps some people in some situations, and for most people will not make much difference to the impact of the cap.
- 'Approach' - ATW have said they will start ‘managed personal budgets’ for people who are capped, which means people who are capped will have more flexibility about how they spend their award, but flexibility will not make an ATW award that is only enough for three days be enough for five days.
You can read the questions and answers about ATW and the cap here.
You can read the transcript of the whole debate here.
You can watch the debate on parliament TV, although it doesn’t have subtitles. The questions about ATW start about 1 hour 50 minutes in.