Employment support for blind and partially sighted people emphasised in Parliament

Marsha de Cordova MP reiterated the level of workforce inequality that exists during a Westminster Hall debate on employment support for blind and partially sighted people on Wednesday (20 November).

De Cordova began the debate by discussing the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Eye Health and Visual Impairment’s recently published Changing attitudes; changing lives report.

The report, published in October, laid out the realities that blind and partially sighted people face when seeking and applying for jobs.

It called for an overhaul of employer responsibilities and attitudes, underpinned by legislation, in order to allow blind and partially sighted people to achieve their full potential in work.

The report was created by the APPG, in conjunction with the Royal National Institute of Blind People and the Thomas Pocklington Trust.

There is a lack of awareness among employers in terms of the funding and support that is available, de Cordova reiterated.

The report found that many employers would not be willing to make adaptations to hiring tools such as psychometric tests, which are often used in graduate recruitment, de Cordova told MPs.

There is “a pattern of outdated attitudes” amongst employers, she added.

She also noted that the employment rate for partially sighted people is 42%, compared to 83% for the general population.

De Cordova said that “employers are missing out on a wealth of talent” because of this.

A 17% disability pay gap means that those with disabilities spend 54 days per year working for free, she added.

De Cordova, who has lived with nystagmus since birth and has this week been named an ambassador for the Nystagmus Network, also revealed that she still encounters problems with the technology available to her in Parliament, despite having been an MP for more than seven years.

This has led to her lodging a formal complaint, she revealed.

The Westminster Hall debate was chaired by Rupa Huq MP, and was timed to coincide with Disability History Month, which runs from 14 November–20 December.

De Cordova told MPs that the Changing attitudes; changing lives report also highlighted existing examples of best practice, including the use of screen readers and ergonomic equipment.

These adaptations do not have to be costly and can lead to greater understanding from colleagues, she said.

She also noted the importance of behaviour change, quoting a respondent to the report, who emphasised that “it is not just about providing the tools – it is about creating a supportive environment where blind and partially sighted employees can thrive.”

One recommendation is for a disability employment strategy to be created, de Cordova said, adding that this is a “watershed moment in how we can improve employment opportunities and support.”

The government should partner with sight loss organisations in order to develop best practice to not only support blind and partially sighted people to enter employment, but also to retain them when they are in work, de Cordova said.

She added that the Equality Act 2010 should also be reviewed, in order to ensure that it is fit for the 21^st century.

The Access to Work backlog was also discussed, with de Cordova noting that, when it is “working efficiently, it is probably the best form of employment support.”

A longstanding backlog has meant that those seeking support from Access to Work have often had to wait months for assistance to be able to start new jobs, or to receive adaptations that allow them to continue working to their full ability.

The Changing attitudes; changing lives report will be considered in the drafting of an upcoming employment white paper that is being created by the Department of Work and Pensions, de Cordova said.

However, she believes that a cross-government approach is needed in order to “truly support employers to shape up.”

“In many cases, it is not about reinventing the wheel. It really is just about working collaboratively with other organisations,” she said.

De Cordova also emphasised the positive impact that a £5 million Jobcentre Assistive Technology Fund, as recommended by disability charity Sense, would make.

This would be funded by the Department of Work and Pensions and would supply every Jobcentre with basic assistive technology, including screen readers, specialist screen magnification software, speech-to-text software, headphones, and a refreshable braille display, to help them meet the needs of disabled people who are seeking employment, Sense has said.

De Cordova also reminded MPs that “it is not about charity – it is about doing what it right.”

She ended her speech by quoting a respondent to the report, who said that “the more blind and partially sighted people there are in the workforce, the more public assumptions and attitudes will be challenged.

“This will benefit blind and partially sighted people of all ages, and ultimately change attitudes, which is the biggest barrier to all of us thriving.”