Disabled people and work: RADAR debate highlights need for more support

Kate Green, CPAG's Chief Executive, spoke in the RADAR debate* against the motion "This House believes the majority of disabled people can and should work". She argued that the motion was too simplistic and that the current "rights and responsibilities" agenda is unduly harsh towards people with disabilities because of the extra barriers they face when trying to get, and keep, decent jobs.

She concluded:

"Today, when work fails to lift families out of poverty, when benefits are set below the poverty line, it seems that to me that there is much more to do to secure a life free of poverty for disabled people and their children. Until work can guarantee that, it is quite wrong, morally and practically, to say that disabled people, if they can work, should work. The debate is much, much more nuanced than that."

Read a full transcript of Kate Green's speech (Word doc)

The debate changed the views of the audience, which was made up of disabled people and representatives of disabled people’s organizations. Prior to the debate they had voted in favour of the motion by a large majority. After the debate, however, the original motion was defeated by a small margin.

When asked to vote for an amended motion, "This House believes the majority of disabled people can work – and should do so with effective support and benefits protection", the motion was carried overwhelmingly.

For a full transcript of the proceedings visit the RADAR website:

* RADAR is a national network of disability organisations and disabled people. The first RADAR Debate was held on 1 September 2008.