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<p>This Government is committed to its ambition to halve the disability employment
gap and enable disabled people and people with long-term health conditions to access
all the benefits that work can bring.</p><p> </p><p>The latest data shows that since
2015, almost 300,000 more working age disabled people are in employment and the disability
employment rate has increased by almost 3 percentage points, now standing at 50 per
cent. Over the same time we have seen improvements in the disability employment gap
which now stands at around 31 percentage points, down from just below 34 percentage
points in the same period in 2015. But we know that there is much more that needs
to be done, so that everyone who can work is given the right support and opportunities
to do so.</p><p> </p><p>Improving Lives, the Work, Health and Disability Green Paper
published on 31<sup>st</sup> October 2016 sets out the short-term action we intend
to take to bring about change. It also asked questions on ideas for longer-term reform
over this Parliament and beyond through a formal national consultation, so that our
systems, sectors and social attitudes all work together to help achieve the ambition
of halving the disability employment gap. The consultation closed on 17<sup>th</sup>
February 2017. We are grateful to the many individuals and organizations who have
submitted responses. We will now consider these carefully as we plan next steps on
this important agenda.</p>
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