Is there anyone on this board registered disabled?

Percybridge

I wonder if anyone can tell me the implications and the mechanics of being registered disabled.
A friend of mine is considering doing this as he has a long term back injury (spine broken in three places) Can walk now as the fractures were not mobile fractures but he has not worked for some time because of the pain.
He is trying to get back to work and is in the process of applying for some work. He is a professional person with professional qualifications and someone told him he would be better off being registered disabled.
Does anyone know what the process is for registering as disabled and what the implications are, both from a benefit point of view and also from an employment point of view.
I would love to be able to help him as he loved his job and is devastated not to have been working for sometime, but at the same time he is worried about not being able to cope at work.
Thank you.

Oldernotwiser

The process of being "Registered Disabled" disappeared many years ago, although people sometimes use the term to refer to people receiving disability benefits such as DLA. When recruiting, many public bodies will guarantee an interview for suitably qualified people who have a disability and this could be useful in your friend's case. Does he receive IB or DLA?

Percybridge

Thank you so much for this Oldernotwiser.
I did wonder when I searched the web for registered disabled and could not find anything. That explains such a lot.
But sometimes jobs ask whether or not you have a disablility on their application form. Is that the same thing.
I did think that if you had a disability then the employer did not have the one year protection for employment purposes, or am I completedly off on a tangent here.
And yes he recieved invalidity benefit, and has done for the past 6 years.

Oldernotwiser

Percybridge wrote: »

Thank you so much for this Oldernotwiser.
I did wonder when I searched the web for registered disabled and could not find anything. That explains such a lot.
But sometimes jobs ask whether or not you have a disablility on their application form. Is that the same thing.
I did think that if you had a disability then the employer did not have the one year protection for employment purposes, or am I completedly off on a tangent here.
And yes he recieved invalidity benefit, and has done for the past 6 years.

Your friend could certainly state on application forms that he has a disability, which, as I say, would guarantee him an interview in the public sector. I'm not sure what you mean about the 1 year protection, but maybe someone else will know.

It might be worth his while to have a look at the conditions for receiving DLA which is a non means tested benefit which, if he's eligible, he could claim whether working or not. There's also a "permitted work" scheme for people on IB which helps many people to ease themselves back into the workplace.

gairlochgal

Do some googling on the Disability Discrimination Act and employment - that should bring up some useful articles

Pink_Eyes

He would be protected with the Disability Discrimination Act. I'm registered disabled (partially sighted) and do also get some free stuff.

When/if he registers, he'll get given a yellow card. This card is used for proving to others that he is disabled and can use certain services. The card is useful for people (like me) who has a disability, but it's invisible.

Errata

Pink_Eyes wrote: »

He would be protected with the Disability Discrimination Act. I'm registered disabled (partially sighted) and do also get some free stuff.

When/if he registers, he'll get given a yellow card. This card is used for proving to others that he is disabled and can use certain services. The card is useful for people (like me) who has a disability, but it's invisible.

Registers where? With whom?

Pink_Eyes

It's to do with local council/social services. I had to go to the eye infirmary to find out if I could drive. Because I couldn't, he was the one who suggested that I register.

if you do want to register, then you'll have someone from social services to explain what happens.

Errata

My LA hasn't kept a register for years. They discovered it was pointless as there was no legal requirement for the disabled to register themselves and of course many didn't so the stats were useless for planning services to support disabled people. Many other LA's may have taken the same view.
Having said that, it's worth asking a LA if they have a disabilities support officer specialising in support for people returning to work.

my_two_cents

It stopped being relevant a few years ago but I still did mine at my local authority's centre and surprisingly, I get asked a lot if I am reg. disabled whenever I call Social Services. Ring up your LA and find out if they still do it.

zzzLazyDaisy

Percybridge wrote: »

I did think that if you had a disability then the employer did not have the one year protection for employment purposes, or am I completedly off on a tangent here

You are right.... sort of......

Under normal employment protection legislation an employee needs one full year's service to qualify for protection against unfair dismissal (there are some statutory exceptions to this). That rule applies equally to disabled employees.

HOWEVER if an employer dismisses a disabled employee, or treats him or her less favourably, or otherwise discriminates against him or her for a reason relating to his or her disability, then the one year rule does not apply. The right not to be unlawfully discriminated against applies even at interview stage, ie pre employment.