The Regions, Welfare to Work

Remploy set to close 36 factories in response to Government funding cuts

Remploy set to close 36 factories in response to Government funding cuts

 

Remploy and the Department for Work and Pensions have today responded in full to the Sayce report’s recommendations on future employment needs for the disabled. Remploy will, by the end of 2012, shut down “36 of its factories which it believes are not commercially viable.” Remploy added in a press release, found here, that:

“the Government’s announcement heralds major changes for Remploy and presents an opportunity for businesses which may be commercially viable to, where possible, flourish outside of Government control, continuing to provide valuable employment support for disabled people.

The Minister for Disabilities, Maria Miller, today announced that

“the £320m budget for specialist disability employment services has been protected. But by spending the money more effectively, we can get thousands more disabled people in work.”

The government statement, found here, argues that controlling spending for individuals will, rather than subsidising large organisations help get more disabled people back into the ‘real’ workplace. Iin response to Remploy’s closure funding is being increased for the Access to Work Programme by £ 15 million. The government feels this increase will help a “further 8,000 disabled people to either enter work or retain their job.”

Further to these developments, BBC Wales argue, that the Remploy redundancies will disproportionally hurt Welsh disabled workers more than their English or Scottish counterparts.

Welsh MP Ann Clwyd, whose own Cynon Valley constituency includes the Aberdare Remploy factory has said

“at a time when jobs are disappearing, it’s extremely cruel for the Remploy workers. The government say they have assessed the needs of Remploy workers – well, where are the jobs? In my constituency there are six people chasing every vacancy.”

2 Comments

  1. Disabled people are already struggling to hold down mainstream jobs and those that are struggling to find work are at a hugh disadvantage already. Those with LD cannot work in a work enviroment where employers are being choosy from applicants applying because they know competiton is fierce for jobs.

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