The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has launched the Disability Pay Gap Day today (4th November), as disabled people effectively work for free during the last 57 days of the year due to the fact they are almost paid a fifth less compared to non-disabled workers.
The TUC has found that disabled workers are paid 16 per cent less than their non-disabled colleagues and in response to this, they have created Disability Pay Gap Day. They found that disabled workers earn on average £1.65 per hour less than non-disabled workers, which is a gap of around £3,000 per year based on a 35-hour week.
Research conducted by the TUC and GQR, global talent acquisition and the advisory firm found that a fifth (20 per cent) of disabled workers have put off buying children’s clothes due to lack of money, compared to 12 per cent of non-disabled workers.
Over a third (34 per cent) of disabled workers have cut back on food for themselves, compared to 18 per cent of non-disabled workers. As well as 35 per cent of disabled workers have gone without heating in contrast to 17 per cent of non-disabled workers.
Disabled people are also less likely to be in a job as well, 52 per cent of disabled people are in work, whereas 82 per cent of non-disabled people have jobs.
The TUC believes the Government needs to do more in order to help and protect disabled workers.
Frances O’Grady, TUC general secretary, said:
Everybody deserves a fair chance to get a job with decent pay. Being disabled should not exclude you from choosing to work. And it should not mean you’re put on a lower wage.
The next government must show they care about disabled people in Britain today. A good start would be a new law to make employers publish their disability pay gap and a plan of action to address it.
Darius is the editor of HRreview. He has previously worked as a finance reporter for the Daily Express. He studied his journalism masters at Press Association Training and graduated from the University of York with a degree in History.
