7 in 10 disabled workers in East Mids earn less than £15 an hour

Embargo: 00:01hrs Tuesday 11 July 2023
TUC press office: 020 7467 1248 

Nearly seven in ten (69%) disabled employees in the East Midlands earn less than £15 an hour, according to new analysis of official statistics published by the TUC today (Tuesday).

The analysis – published ahead of the TUC’s disabled workers conference which starts in Bournemouth today – finds that disabled people are much more likely to be paid less than £15ph than non-disabled peers.

Across the UK, around seven in 10 (69%) disabled employees earn less than £15 an hour. Half of non-disabled employees (50%) earn less than £15ph.

Regional and gender analysis

In the North East and Wales (92% and 94%), more than nine in 10 disabled employees earn less than £15 an hour, compared to around three in five (60% and 58% respectively) non-disabled workers. 

And the situation is even worse for disabled women employees. Seven in 10 disabled women (70%) earn less than £15 an hour, compared to just nearly four in 10 (44%) non-disabled men.

Government action needed

To address the inequality faced by disabled workers, the TUC is calling on ministers to bring in a legal requirement for employers to regularly report on how much they pay disabled workers, compared to non-disabled workers.

And the union body wants to see fines for employers that do not deliver disabled workers’ legal right to reasonable adjustments.

The TUC says ministers must also raise the national minimum wage to £15 per hour as soon as possible, and stamp out insecure work for disabled workers by banning zero hours contracts and putting an end to fire and rehire.

TUC Regional Secretary Lee Barron said: “Disabled workers in the East Midlands are struggling to make ends meet in this cost-of-living crisis, with rocketing bills and soaring inflation.

“Every worker deserves a decent job on decent pay. Being disabled should not mean you’re paid any less or are stuck on worse terms and conditions.

“The government has done very little so far to support disabled workers. It’s time for ministers to increase the minimum wage to £15 per hour as soon as possible and put an end to insecure work by banning zero hours contracts.

“And they must also introduce mandatory disability pay gap reporting to shine a light on inequality at work. Without this, millions of disabled people face a future of lower pay and in-work poverty.”