We were concerned to hear Jeremy Hunt’s announcement today of the planned introduction of sanctions for those who are long-term unemployed and economically inactive due to sickness or disability. This statement demonstrates a disconnect between the government and the lived experiences of disabled people. Our research into the outcomes of people with vision impairment who are seeking to access the labour market has shown that this population face a range of barriers in doing so, including negative societal attitudes and programmatic failures. Furthermore, cuts to specialist provision in education mean that an increasing number of young people with vision impairment are leaving school without the essential skills and experiences that they will require to access employment.
