Remploy is an organisation in the United Kingdom which provides employment placement services for disabled people. It is a major welfare-to-work provider, delivering a range of contracts and employment programmes, for people with substantial barriers to work. Between 2009 and 2014, it found 100,000 jobs for disabled people.[1]

Historically, it also directly employed disabled people in a number of factories, owned by Remploy itself, and subsidised by the UK government, though this was phased out at the start of the 21st century, under the prevailing view[according to whom?] that disabled people should have mainstream jobs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remploy

I think it would help people get into employment, especially the disabled.. who can't work in mainstream employment.

For all the criticism of Blair, this was his brain child.

Yes.

There should be something along those lines.

In its early days it employed many people disabled by war.

Should we herd disabled people all together in a working environment isolated from the mainstream?

Or should we try to integrate them into the mainstream workforce?

I agree, but this has been the problem employers not wanting to take on the long term sick and disabled. How you get employers to employ the long term sick and disabled

The receptionist at my last place of employment had been there over twenty years and was highly valued. Not everyone realised that she was disabled and had been since childhood when she contracted polio. She always said that she needed brains to do her job not legs. She drove herself to work and back home in an adapted car and did all her own housework in an adapted home. She was highly motivated and took pride in her achievements. She was an inspiration to all who met her.

There is a difference between being disabled and being ill.

This is the problem, many disabled people want to work.

The factories would be something, even though I agree getting them into mainstream should be the goal.

But unless the government can make employees employ more people with disabilities (subsidise part of their salary maybe?) it won't work.

A long term illness can be classed as making a person disabled. physical illness and mental illness can both be disabling.
Definition of disability under the Equality Act 2010

You’re disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.
What ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ mean

‘substantial’ is more than minor or trivial, eg it takes much longer than it usually would to complete a daily task like getting dressed

‘long-term’ means 12 months or more, eg a breathing condition that develops as a result of a lung infection

Both options used to be available, Remploy and working normally for an employer. Remploy factories provided a working background for many people, whilst normal employment provided work, often carrying out simple tasks. Perhaps it's the perceived stigmatisation that's the problem.

I cam across many men who worked for Remploy as a child. Being employed gave them a sense of pride and achievement and they enjoyed the company of other disabled people. I have an ancestor injured at Waterloo who received a pension as an our-Pensioner and he made chairs used in government departments. I have another ancestor with a club foot who worked as a blacksmith.

The factories could work alongside employers, to "skill" people up for mainstream employment.

There is no denying that a big percentage of the unemployed of long-term disabled who can't get jobs because they don't get a chance from the companies employing people..

If the government can make this a priority to do more to help disabled people achieve employment I think they would be saving the country billions.

I'm shocked no party has put it in their manifesto in General Elections.. it is a sure fire win as there is millions of disabled people in this country who are at their wits end.

I'm not sure about subsidising salary but grants are available to adapt workplaces to the needs of disabled employees.

I've worked with some incredibly talented "disabled" people over the years. If you have a desk job then does it really matter if you need to use a wheelchair to get around?

The suicide rate from disabled people due to the benefit and service cuts by Mr.Cameron, IDS and George Osbourne are truly heartbreaking..

It's inhuman.. the government need to do more, not make it even harder for disabled folk especially the ones who DO want to work !

Dont forget Remploy was sold. Remploy, the agency charged with helping disabled people find work, has been sold by the Department for Work and Pensions to a US-listed company — one of a number of outsourcing deals the coalition is pursuing before the general election.

The New York-listed Maximus already provides assessment tests in the UK to check whether the disabled are fit for work. It will take a 70 per cent stake in a newly created company, while giving the remaining 30 per cent to employees.

No it doesn't and look at all our paralympians achieve.

Even if the government subside a portion of the salary they will still be saving millions as they won't be paying them benefits.. but it is more the general health of a disabled person, having worth, a social life and a sense of achievement.. confidence. That's what they deserve a chance at.. not have doors shut.

You could set quotas for disabled employees or a fine if it is not reached. I think they would still rather pay the fine. Disabled are a hassle for an employer.

Umm, it really wasn't.

A quick read of the wikilink provided shows it's start, albeit under a different name, in the forties.
It also shows the factories were mainly closed by the last Labour government.

Depends, does the place have disabled access, can a person in a wheelchair open the doors, do they have wheelchair access toilets. When the government themselves have disability assessment centers that people in wheelchairs cannot be assessed at.

Remploy still exists but is no longer government controlled. Throughout my working career, I've seen companies employ physically disabled and mentally impaired people without going down the Remploy route. There are still companies doing that but they're growing thinner on the ground.

More companies also need to understand that there is value to the organisation for having a diverse workforce. A company which represents their customers better understands them better. Some businesses have excellent records for disability employment and I am pleased to have worked for some of them but extra needs to be done to encourage more especially SMEs.

Here's a good example of a company (which gets a lot of bad press at times) doing things right: http://uk.gsk.com/en-gb/responsibili...roject-search/

I guess you are talking about ESA, not DLA or PIP ?

I seem to recall a scheme like that which you could opt out of if you could show there really wasn't a job you could offer someone disabled.

Well said !

Would forcing companies to have a quota system work at all?

A diverse work place with different ideas sounds amazing to me?

Does Brexit make it easier to make our own disabled laws now? anyone know?

The UK as never had a quotas for disabled employees , other counties do