[access-uk] Re: Fw: [danmail] cuts to access to work funding

  • From: "Colin Fowler" <col.fowler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Fri, 29 Oct 2010 08:07:48 +0100

There's a couple of inclusions that I would hope wouldn't be dismissed out of hand as they appear on the list - scanners, and voice recorders.
As far as the contribution element by employers goes, it I believe is correct that Public authorities shouldn't get Access to work funding, it just seems crazy that central government funding is being used for public authority support for employment in this manner. Private company contributions I think need to be looked at differently too, if you employ more than 500 people than you should be expected to contribute a minimum of 50% towards costs. Access to work has been used for so long for employees to duck their responsibilities to meet the costs of making reasonable adjustments.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Peter Holdstock" <peterholdstock@xxxxxxx> 
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, October 28, 2010 9:26 PM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Fw: [danmail] cuts to access to work funding
I think the list of standard equipment an employer has to provide seems pretty fare other than the voice activated software as that can be quite costly. Everything else on that list is certainly what the public sector would happily provide so I'd hope the private sector would do the same. As for other changes I've got a meeting regarding them on Tuesday so I'll be interested to hear what guidance is given to us. 

Peter

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Mike Higgins" <m.j.higgins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, October 28, 2010 7:03 PM
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: <DISABILITY-RESEARCH@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [access-uk] Fw: [danmail] cuts to access to work funding


FYI Apologies for cross-posting.

Mike
----- Original Message ----- From: "Linda Burnip" <linda_burnip@xxxxxxxxxxx> 
To: <danmail@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, October 27, 2010 7:55 PM
Subject: [danmail] cuts to access to work funding


this seems to have been kept quiet. Please pass it onto any organisation
you're involved ina nd ask them to contact EHRC as well.

Equality and Human Rights Commission EHRC
3 More London, Riverside Tooley Street, London, SE1 2RG
Please share the letter with others and ask them to persuade any other
organisations and Trade Unions they are involved with to write to the
EHRC as well - maybe we can persuade them to conduct a proper review.


To: Mr. Trevor Phillips, OBE
Chair of the Equality & Human Rights Commission
London
25th October 2010
Re: recent changes to the operation of the Access to Work scheme
Dear Mr. Phillips
The National Association of Disability Practitioners [NADP] is a membership 
organisation of over 700 people working towards disability equality in
post-compulsory education and training. Many of our members are themselves disabled people. NADP members are totally committed to facilitating disabled students throughout their journey including into employment and views Access 
to Work as an integral part of this system.

We understand that there have been two recent changes relating to the
operation of the Access to Work scheme:
1. an increase in the employer's financial contribution
2. some changes to the items which Access to Work expects the employer to
supply, without A2W assistance (see statement and list in Appendix).
Both of these changes have the effect of putting more of the costs of
supporting a disabled employee back on to the employer.
The NADP Executive Board is seriously concerned about the potential impact 
of any decrease
to the support given by government to employers in encouraging them to make 
appropriate provision for the employment of disabled people.
We believe that the Access to Work scheme improves the employment prospects of disabled people and represents excellent value for money, especially when 
compared to the cost to the state of the various benefits that would
otherwise be paid to unemployed disabled people. With a Spending Review
targeting reductions in Incapacity Benefit, we believe that strengthening
Access to Work would assist in enabling former claimants to obtain suitable 
employment.
The NADP would like to recommend that the EHRC review the recent Access to 
Work decisions in the light of the potential real cost of limiting the
prospect of progress towards disability equality in the workplace. Yours
sincerely
Appendix: text of emailed statement received from a senior officer at Access 
to Work:

--- On Tue, 19/10/10, Beasley John JCP CARDIFF COMPANIES HOUSE
<JOHN.BEASLEY1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

From: Beasley John JCP CARDIFF COMPANIES HOUSE
<JOHN.BEASLEY1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: changes to Access to Work - formal request from NADP for a
statement

The following statement covers the changes.

It is the legal responsibility of employers to provide reasonable
adjustments to allow disabled staff to do their work. The Access to Work
programme is to provide funding for equipment and support that would be
above and beyond what is reasonable for an employer to supply.

What support is regarded as "standard and reasonable" is under constant
review and guidance to our staff is regularly updated to reflect ever
changing work practices, I.T. advancements and accepted industry standards.
As part of this latest update a revised list of equipment has been included 
in the Access to Work guidance in order to assist advisers in
making operational decisions.

I have attached the the list of examples, which is not definitive. If
you require any furhter information, please do not hesitate to contact
me
Regards

John


**********************************************************************



To the email was attached a Microsoft Word document as follows:

Standard Equipment
The following list provides examples of items that should be considered as 
standard equipment and so cannot be funded by Access to Work. The list is
not intended to be exhaustive.

Access to Work believe that in normal circumstances an employer should
provide these items as part of their Disability Discrimination Act duty to 
make reasonable adjustments.

Analogue hearing aids
(all digital hearing aids require SEO approval)

Chairs
(with the exception of very specialist, bespoke examples which require SEO 
approval)

Desks/extenders/bridges/feet/desk raisers
Armrests
Gel rests
Perching Stools
Backrests/wedges/back friend/cushions/swivel pads
Monitor arms
Desk Top Computers
Screens
Screen Raisers
Keyboards (including overlays)
Mice
Printers
Scanners
Fax Machines
Copiers
All Telephony
Document Holders /writing slopes
Flexdesk
Footstools
General office equipment (e.g. staplers, hole punches etc.)
Headphones
Mobile Phones
GPS devises/Sat Navs
Laptop /lapstands
I pad / i-mac tablets
Trolley cases
Drawer Pedestal
Stationary (e.g. pens etc,)
Spectacles
Clothing (gloves, boots etc.)
Voice activated software
Walking aids (sticks, frames, Rollators)
Chair-ups
White Boards
Voice recorders
Internet connections/rentals for home working
Window blinds
Lighting (Daylight lighting, Helix Desk Lamp etc.)
Vehicles appropriate to the job role - such as tractors for farm work, fork 
lift trucks for warehouse work or taxi’s for hire






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