Self-employment for disabled people

Work for Yourself

1.Demand.

The 2011 Census shows that :

  • Xx There are about 500,000 disabled people in the UKxx who are self-employed.
  • Proportionately, there is a higher level of working disabled people who are self-employed than working non-disabled people.
  • There is considerable demand for business start-up support from disabled people – for example, the Work for Yourself programme has been running in just two District Council areas for about 3 ½ years and has received over 630 contacts from local disabled people.
  • “Mainstream“business support has often not engaged disabled people with former regional Business Links reporting <1% of clients being disabled people.

2.Alternative to being employed.

  • Legislation. The Equality Act 2010 makes it generally unlawful for employers to ask applicants about health, sick record or disability during the recruitment process. However, disabled people still face prejudice and discrimination when looking for jobs as is evident through their much lower levels of employment.
  • Individual circumstances. Other factors linked to disability may also limit employment prospects for disabled people who:
  • tend to beolder people;
  • may have been out of work for some time;
  • have work skills that are no longer relevant when disability requires a change of career;
  • have limited knowledge about other careers if they need to change their type of work;
  • are more likely to have no/lower qualifications.

3.Benefits. Self-employment can be a good option as it offers:

  • Opportunity to fulfil potential despite a health condition;
  • Escape from boredom, depression and poverty on benefits;
  • Flexibility of working patterns to accommodate health requirements;
  • Control of the work environment, processes etc.

4.Future options. Self-employment can be a route to a future job as:

  • Developing a business idea can demonstrate communication and inter-personal skills, information gathering and analysis, planning and prioritising, Imagination and creativity.
  • Being a sub-contractor can lead to a job with that former customer.
  • Employers can be impressed by a business background.
  • Even if businesses don’t start/succeed, it can show initiative and activity while not working.

5.Jobcentre Plus support.

Disabled people may be claiming JSA, ESA, IB or other benefits.

  • Those claiming ESA and IB can start trading on “permitted work” which allows them to retain their benefits while working limited hours and earning up to a set amount, usually for up to 52 weeks (Universal Credit will change).
  • Those claiming JSA or ESA may be eligible for the New Enterprise Allowance (NEA) which allows them to start trading and still receive the allowance for up to 26 weeks.

Self-employed disabled people can also receive Access To Work support (ATW) to help with additional costs of adaptive equipment, support workers, travel costs.

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) (being replaced by Personal Independence Payments – PIP) can also be claimed by eligible self-employed disabled people.

6.Business ideas. Disabled people are as imaginative as anyone else: our clients now have businesses ranging from flying instructor and funeral director to lingerie design and gun repairs. Others may have more modest ambitions linked to their level of confidence, previous work experience and qualifications/skills plus health conditions but still find gardening, dog-walking or window cleaningasfulfilling means of trading.

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