Disabled Charities Back Social Enterprise Plan

Amid huge controversy over the Government’s Welfarre Reform Bill, disabled charities have welcomed government plans to move away from sheltered, segregated factories run by Remploy in favour of user-led social enterprises.

This week Minister for Disabled People Maria Miller announced that 36 of the remaining 54 Remploy factories across the UK would close by the end of 2012.  The closures will see the loss of 1,500 jobs, the majority of which are currently filled by people with disabilities ranging from wheelchair users to able bodied employees with other impairments.

The decision to close the factories was made following a consultation led by Liz Sayce, Chief Executive of Disability Rights UK, into forms of employment support for disabled people.

Redirecting Funds

The Government says that the money currently used to subsidise the factories will now be directed into other initiatives which help and support disabled people into work, including the Access to Work Scheme.

Many disabled people’s charities believe that the current Remploy factories are out-dated and welcome the idea of setting up social enterprises run by disabled people allowing for greater inclusion.

Jeremy Long-Price, from Southampton Centre for Independent Living, commented: “As an organisation we are against the notion of segregated employment and would rather see money previously spent on subsidising the Remploy model of supporting disabled people directed to allow greater inclusion in the overall population and workforce.”

However, Mr Long-Price went on to raise concerns over whether the government would actually redirect the money saved into helping disabled people into mainstream jobs.