The organisation and outcomes of supported employment in Britain

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Stephen Beyer, | Mark Kilsby, | Julia Shearn,

Affiliations: Welsh Center for Learning Disabilities-Applied Research Unit University of Wales College of Medicine, UK

Note: [] Welsh Centre for Learning Disabilities, Meridian Court North Road, Cardiff CF4 3BL, UK. Tel: +44 1222 691795; Fax: +44 1222 610812; E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

Abstract: The study involved a questionnaire survey of all Supported Employment Agencies in Great Britain. The Agencies who responded (numbering 101 or 48%) supported in jobs, 90.3% those supported worked for under 16 hours per week and 30% small amount up to limits allowing them to retain their welfare benefit income. Of supported workers, 78% employment. Job Coach support was found to fall over time to a mean of one hour per week by the eighth month of work while mean hours worked remained stable in the first year at around 16 hours per week. A cost : benefit analysis showed workers gained {\pounds}2.47 for every {\pounds}1 they lost in taking up employment, and taxpayers received 43p back in savings for each {\pounds}1 invested. Taxpayer cost : benefit improved over time, recouping 54p for every

Keywords: Supported Employment, cost : benefit, financial outcomes

Journal: Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 137-146, 1999