The employment rate for disabled Londoners is 51 per cent. The employment rate for Londoners as a whole is 78 per cent. This gap – currently 27 per cent - remains stubbornly wide.
While employment rates fluctuate over the years and the number of disabled people in work rises, still the gulf remains broadly the same.
There are a number of factors that feed into this inequality. Disabled people are more likely to have lower level qualifications and workplace culture remains unwelcoming.
So is this gap entrenched and immovable? Or can interventions from central Government and the Mayor make a meaningful difference?
The London Assembly Economy Committee will tomorrow will examine the barriers faced by disabled people when looking for work and identify key moments when support is most likely to be effective.
The following guests will attend:
- James Taylor, Head of Policy, Campaigns and Public Affairs, Scope
- Tracey Lazard, Chief Executive Officer, Inclusion London
- Jon Rees, Making It Work Project Manager, Inclusion London
- Joanne Asphall, Head of Programmes, Central London Forward
- Diane Lightfoot, Chief Executive Officer, Business Disability Forum
The meeting will take place on Thursday 17 January at 2.30pm in The Chamber, at City Hall (The Queen’s Walk, London SE1).
Media and members of the public are invited to attend.
The meeting can also be viewed LIVE via webcast or on YouTube.
Follow us @LondonAssembly and tweet about the meeting using #AssemblyEconomy and #DisabilityGap
Notes to editors
- Figures drawn from the London Datastore.
- Read the agenda papers.
- Susan Hall AM, Chairman of the Economy Committee is available for interview.
- Find out more about the London Assembly Economy Committee.
- Find out more about the Committee's work on the disability employment gap.
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
For media enquiries, please contact Giles Broadbent on 020 7983 4067. For out of hours media enquiries, call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the London Assembly duty press officer. Non-media enquiries should be directed to the Public Liaison Unit on 020 7983 4100.