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Self-employment for people with disabilities (UK)

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In the UK, self-employment is a popular option for people with disabilities. Of those in paid work, 18 per cent of disabled men and 8 per cent of disabled women are self-employed as their main job, compared to only 14 per cent and 6 per cent of non-disabled men and women respectively. [1] Unfortunately, many people are not familiar with the rules that can help disabled people into self-employed work. [2][3]

UK Self-Employment and Benefits

Being at a disadvantage at the workplace means one is more likely to be isolated from the rest of society: to be socially excluded. UK policy has created a number of different benefits which have the aim of addressing social exclusion through employment, including self-employment. These include Access to Work, Employment and Support Allowance, Pathways to Work, The New Deal for Disabled People and Disabled Persons Tax Credit.

For example, Employment And Support Allowance (ESA) allows disabled people to do some (‘Permitted’) work, which includes self-employment, not only as a route to independence, but also to ‘allow them to be socially included’. [4]This 'permitted work' must satisfy a number of criteria.[5] For example, if a disabled person’s income is less than £20 per week, they can work any number of hours whilst still claiming ESA. [6] [7] [8]

Notes

  1. ^ Boylan, A. and Burchardt, T. (2002) Barriers to self-employment for disabled people, Report for the Small Business Service, available at http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file38357.pdf, last accessed January 2010
  2. ^ Boylan, A. and Burchardt, T. (2002) Barriers to self-employment for disabled people, Report for the Small Business Service, available at http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file38357.pdf, last accessed January 2010
  3. ^ Association of Disabled Professionals (2007) 'Setting Up In Business? A Resource Guide for Disabled People and their Advisors', ADP, availability details at http://www.adp.org.uk/news.php
  4. ^ DWP (2008) Technical Factsheet T3: Permitted Work, Voluntary Work and Test Trading Rules, http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/t3_current_work.pdf
  5. ^ DWP (2008) Technical Factsheet T3: Permitted Work, Voluntary Work and Test Trading Rules, http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/t3_current_work.pdf
  6. ^ DWP (2008) Technical Factsheet T3: Permitted Work, Voluntary Work and Test Trading Rules, http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/t3_current_work.pdf
  7. ^ Welfare Reform Act 2007 available at http://www.opsi.gov.uk/Acts/acts2007/pdf/ukpga_20070005_en.pdf
  8. ^ Disability Alliance (2009) Factsheet: Work for people who are sick or disabled, http://www.disabilityalliance.org/f35.htm
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