DEAC’s work

DEAC provides Ministers and government policy makers in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) with strategic advice on disability employment issues. The advice is used to help the DWP make sure:

• those disabled people who want to work can, and
• people who are already in work who become disabled are given the support they might need.

About the Committee

The Disability Employment Advisory Committee:

• wants to make sure that the needs and hopes of disabled people are met
• knows how important paid work is to the way all people feel about themselves
• values different views on the barriers to work that disabled people face and how these barriers might be removed
• would like disabled people to be able to use the services and programmes associated with work that everyone can use. At the same time, it understands that some things might need to be done specifically for disabled people
• talks to organisations and individuals who have experience and skills in the area of disability and work to make sure the advice DEAC gives has taken into account many different views
• encourages people to talk to each other and to exchange ideas about what works well
• understands that there are many types of discrimination – such as sexual and racial discrimination – and that the same things that affect people who face other types of discrimination can also affect disabled people who are trying to find and keep work
• is as open as possible about the work it does.

Disabled people

DEAC wants to see disabled people who want to work:

• get into work
• do well in work
• stay in work
• progress in their careers.

Project groups

As well as deciding what to discuss at our main meetings, we also take into consideration areas of disability and employment that we need to find out more about. To do this, we set up small project groups consisting of members (and in the past, advisers too) who will look at specific topics.
These groups

• look at any research already carried out
• ask officials for further information or clarification
• add ideas and suggestions of their own
• give advice on what we think needs to be done.