As the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) steps up its drive to get more people, including those with disabilities, into work, a report says that those with autism are included in the initiative. A leading charity has backed the move and says it wants to see twice as many autistic people in the workplace.
Autism is one of the many hidden disabilities for which Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is paid. For those eligible, it can be worth up to £627 a month - rising to £691 from April. Birmingham Live says that there are a total of three million people in the UK on this benefit, with around 114,000 of those with autism.
The Government says people with autism have particularly low employment rates – with fewer than three in 10 in work - but its new review aims to change that. The DWP says it aims to boost work prospects and will focus on supporting employers to recruit and retain autistic people and "reap the benefits of a neurodiverse workforce." Proposals are to go before the Government later this year.
The new initiative has been launched by the Government to "spread opportunity, close the employment gap and grow the economy." Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Mel Stride has appointed Sir Robert Buckland KC MP to lead the review, which will consider how the Government can work with employers to help more autistic people realise their potential and get into work.
READ MORE: Cineworld update on future as UK business sale halted
The Buckland Review of Autism Employment, supported by the charity Autistica, will ask businesses, employment organisations, specialist support groups and autistic people to help identify the barriers to getting a job. It will look at issues including how employers identify and support autistic staff already in their workforce as well as what more could be done to prepare autistic people for a career.
It will also examine working practices to reduce stigma and improve the productivity of autistic employees. The aim is then to come up with solutions that are acceptable for autistic people, effective at getting more people into work, and feasible for employers and public services to put in place.
Autistica already has an Employers' Guide to Neurodiversity which explains how to run more inclusive interviews when hiring staff. It is also encouraging people to get involved in its research and campaigning around employment.
Some employers are already benefiting from a neurodiverse workforce, including London manufacturer KwickScreen. The company provides transparent screens to every UK hospital and played a vital role in the NHS response to the Covid pandemic. On a recent visit to their Lewisham base, the Minister and Sir Robert discovered many of the breakthrough initiatives in the company came from the neurodiverse members of the team.
Tom Pursglove MP, Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, said: "We know autistic people can face barriers moving into employment and staying there. This is often down to the employers themselves not having the tools to support autistic people, or truly understanding the value of a neurodiverse workforce.
"This important review will provide us with vital information to remove these barriers and help more autistic people start, stay and succeed in work by ensuring more employers provide truly inclusive places to work. I look forward to seeing the recommendations from the review."
Rt Hon Sir Robert Buckland KC MP added: "I am delighted to have been asked to lead this important Review. Our workplaces and businesses would benefit so much from the huge potential that autistic people represent. If we close the employment gap for autistic people, it will not just mean individual fulfilment but a significant boost to employment and productivity for our country."
Welcoming the review, Dr James Cusack, chief executive of the UK autism research and campaigning charity Autistica, said: "The benefits for autistic people and society will be huge if we can give autistic people the opportunity to work and thrive in employment. That's why as a charity we want to see a doubling of the employment rate for autistic people by 2030.
"We are delighted to support the government on this vital review which will enable us to move from awareness to evidence-based action. This will help us to rethink how we approach autistic people's access to work and perhaps drive a wider rethink around how we accommodate everyone in work, as we all think differently with unique strengths, challenges and needs."
The Buckland Review of Autism Employment will start next month, with recommendations issued to report to the Secretary of State in September 2023. The review will look at how many initiatives that would benefit people with autism and could also help a wider group of people with other neurodevelopmental conditions such as ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia.
READ NEXT:
