{"id":119060,"date":"2026-04-09T13:05:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T12:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/?p=119060"},"modified":"2026-04-09T13:01:48","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T12:01:48","slug":"new-uk-law-could-change-disabled-people-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/new-uk-law-could-change-disabled-people-work\/","title":{"rendered":"New UK Law Could Change How Disabled People Return to Work Without Risking Support"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The UK government has laid legislation before Parliament to introduce a \u201cright to try\u201d scheme, designed to reassure disabled people that taking up work will not automatically trigger a reassessment of their benefits<\/strong>. The change is expected to come into force by the end of April and applies to several major forms of support, including Employment and Support Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, and the health element of Universal Credit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reform <\/strong>comes amid broader efforts to address economic inactivity linked to long-term sickness and disability. According to government figures cited in reporting, around 2.8 million <\/strong>people are currently out of work due to long-term health conditions, highlighting the scale of the challenge policymakers are attempting to address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Removing Fear of Reassessment as a Barrier to Work<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the core of the policy is a guarantee that disabled individuals can try employment or voluntary work without immediately risking their existing support. According to statements from the Department for Work and Pensions, the aim is to eliminate what ministers describe as a \u201cpsychological barrier<\/strong>\u201d that has left many people reluctant to engage with the labor market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sir Stephen Timms<\/strong>, minister for social security and disability, said the reform responds directly to concerns raised by claimants. He noted that many people want to work <\/a>but are held back by fears of losing financial stability. According to reports, Timms emphasized that volunteering has also been included in the policy because it often serves as a first step toward paid employment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The legislation also reflects findings from consultations with disabled individuals and advocacy groups. More than a third <\/strong>of disabled people surveyed expressed a desire to work but cited the risk of benefit loss as a key deterrent. The new framework ensures that starting a job alone will not trigger reassessment, although existing scheduled reviews will still proceed as planned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Supporters of the measure argue that it provides a safety net for those considering a return to work. Brian Dow, chief executive of Mental Health UK<\/a>, described the policy as a \u201cpositive and practical step,<\/em>\u201d noting that fear of reassessment has been a significant obstacle for many individuals exploring employment opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ongoing Concerns Over Support Systems and Wider Reforms<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While the \u201cright to try\u201d scheme has been broadly welcomed, several organizations and campaigners have raised concerns about the broader context in which it is being introduced. Critics point to structural barriers<\/strong> that continue to limit access to suitable employment for disabled people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the Guardian, disability charity Scope highlighted issues such as inaccessible workplaces, inflexible job structures, and negative employer attitudes. The organization described the policy as a step forward but stressed the need for more comprehensive and personalized employment support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Separate data underscores the difficulty of sustaining employment even when individuals do return to work. According to figures from Timewise cited in the report, only 2.5 percent <\/strong>of people who are economically inactive due to long-term sickness or disability move into employment each year, and more than half of those jobs last less than four months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Concerns have also been raised about the capacity of existing support programs. Reporting from advocacy sources indicates that demand for the Access to Work scheme has increased significantly, with more than 66,000<\/strong> people <\/strong>currently waiting for assistance. At the same time, questions remain about whether resources will expand to meet the expected rise in demand as more people are encouraged to seek employment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reform is also being introduced alongside changes to benefits, including plans to reduce the health element of Universal Credit for new claimants. Critics argue that such measures risk undermining the intended support provided by the \u201cright to try\u201d initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taken together, the policy marks a shift in how the government approaches disability and employment, focusing on reducing perceived risks while encouraging participation in the workforce. Whether it succeeds may depend on how these broader challenges are addressed in practice.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A major UK reform is changing how disabled people approach work, removing a key barrier that has held many back, with officials saying it offers reassurance while testing employment, even as questions remain about how wider support will keep up.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":119062,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-119060","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33","no-featured-image-padding"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119060","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=119060"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119060\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":119063,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119060\/revisions\/119063"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/119062"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=119060"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=119060"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=119060"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}