UNEMPLOYMENT among disabled Londoners is affecting their health,
according to a report from the London Health Commission.
Len Duvall, the commission's chairman and London Assembly member
for Greenwich and Lewisham, launched the Health in London report
at the Forum@Greenwich.
He said it appeared the "position of disabled people in
the labour market has actually deteriorated since 1979",
adding there should be more research to establish why.
Disabled Londoners have an unemployment rate twice that of non-disabled
residents, are more likely to be in part-time employment and earn
about 20 per cent less than non-disabled workers in equivalent
jobs.
Mr Duvall said: "The Health Commission found that unemployment
is one of the major factors preventing disabled Londoners from
enjoying the level of health they should expect."
The commission was set up by London Mayor Ken Livingstone in
October 2000.
Its latest report, in the European Year of Disabled People, is
the second annual study of the underlying causes affecting Londoners'
health.
Linda Leon, director of Greenwich Association of Disabled People's
Centre for Independent Living (GAD), based at Forum@Greenwich
in Trafalgar Road, agreed that unemployment was still too high
among disabled people.
She said: "Some employers are great but there is still a
lot of education that needs to take place."
She added she was proud of the work done at GAD to 'empower'
disabled people.
GAD was the first organisation of its kind in London and one
of the first in the country.
It was set up in 1975 to support disabled people's interests
in Greenwich but it was not until 1983 that it became user-led
rather than being run mainly by non-disabled people.
GAD provides a personal assistant service, welfare rights services
and drop-in sessions as well as giving advice.
It has just been awarded a grant of £44,149 from Greenwich
council to continue its useful work.
Publication: The Mercury (23 April 2003)
