Asthma

(asked on 14th May 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 21 April 2021 to Question 179362, if she will make an assessment of the causes of inequality in pay and job prospects for people with severe asthma.


Answered by
Justin Tomlinson Portrait
Justin Tomlinson
This question was answered on 20th May 2021

Analysis published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that disabled employees are generally under-represented in higher skilled and typically higher paying occupation groups, while they are over-represented in lower-skilled and lower paying occupations when compared to non-disabled employees. Disabled workers are also less likely to move into and be in work, as well as more likely to move out of work.

Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith is currently leading a commission looking at how DWP, wider Government and employers can best support people to progress out of low pay, especially for those groups more likely to be in persistent low pay, such as disabled workers.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everybody, including people with asthma, has equal access to employment opportunities and offers a range of support to help disabled people to stay in or move into work.

In 2019, the Government consulted on ways to support and encourage employers to minimise the risk of ill-health related job loss among their employees in Health is Everyone's Business: proposals to reduce ill-health related job loss. Our response is due shortly.

The Government will also publish a National Strategy for Disabled People which will focus on issues that disabled people say affect them the most in all aspects of life, including employment.

Reticulating Splines