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Autumn Statement: Changes for those unemployed due to sickness or disability.

Dr Rachel Hewett responds to changes announced in the 2023 Autumn Statement for those who are long-term unemployed due to sickness or disability.

23 November 2023•1 min
Disabled woman on her computer.

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. 

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Featured staff

  • Dr Rachel Hewett

    Associate Professor

    Dr Rachel Hewett, Associate Professor within the School of Education, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom is working on a number of projects in connection with visually impairment and is a member of VICTAR.

    Phone: +44 (0)121 414 4394
    Email: r.g.hewett@bham.ac.uk

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