Mencap responds to ministerial statement on Remploy

Thursday 12 July 2012

Mark Goldring, chief executive, Mencap, says:

“While Remploy factories have been of real benefit in the past, we believe that employment in the mainstream market place is key to the inclusion of people with a learning disability in all parts of society and to actively changing public attitudes towards people with a learning disability. Value for money is crucial and it is sensible to reinvest funding released from less effective employment programmes into Access to Work, which is widely supported by disabled people.”

ENDS 

For media enquiries, please contact the Mencap press office on 0207 696 5414 or media@mencap.org.uk

• About Mencap

There are 1.5 million people with a learning disability in the UK. Mencap works to support people with a learning disability and their families and carers by fighting to change laws and improve services and access to education, employment and leisure facilities. Mencap supports thousands of people with a learning disability to live their lives the way they want.

We are also one of the largest providers of services, information and advice for people with a learning disability across England, Northern Ireland and Wales. People with a learning disability and their carers can find out more about our services by calling Mencap Direct on 0300 333 111 or by visiting www.mencap.org.uk

• What is a learning disability?

A learning disability is a reduced intellectual ability and difficulty with everyday activities – for example household tasks, socialising or managing money – which affects someone for their whole life.

People with a learning disability tend to take longer to learn and may need support to develop new skills, understand complex information and interact with other people.

The level of support someone needs depends on individual factors, including the severity of their learning disability.