New jobs “passport” for injured or disabled veterans
New support scheme to help smooth the way for injured or disabled ex-military to return to work.
- Adjustments Passports provide support for those left with disabilities after serving, boosting their job prospects by removing barriers to starting and progressing in work
- Hundreds of Armed Forces service leavers’ set to benefit, unlocking a pool of talent for employers and businesses while helping to grow the economy
New Adjustments Passports will support hundreds of sick and disabled Armed Forces leavers’ to start and stay in work, delivering on a key Government priority to remove barriers to the labour market and grow the economy.
The scheme, announced by the Department for Work and Pensions and the Ministry of Defence today [Tuesday 11 July], will help those leaving service with an injury, disability or health condition move more smoothly into employment.
The passport provides a transferable record of any workplace adjustments the service leaver may need, such as changes to working hours or specialist equipment, making it easier for them to transition into work, progress and move between jobs.
Crucially, with this new document all of this can now be done without the need for reassessment, which can often be a barrier to disabled people and those with health conditions staying in work.
Currently, service leavers’ can receive a copy of the passport and guidance via the Careers Transition Partnership armed services exit process. The passport will be available for download on GOV.UK by the end of the week.
Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, Tom Pursglove MP, said:
We know that for people who require workplace adjustments, receiving the right support at the right time can be difficult, especially for service leavers’ starting a civilian job for the first time.
I am thrilled that the Adjustments Passport will address this difficulty, giving service leavers’ the confidence that their needs will be met, and removing the need for multiple assessments.
Sustained, rewarding employment boosts wellbeing, and I am proud that we will be supporting people who have served our country to transition back to civilian life and start, stay and succeed in work.
Minister for Defence People, Veterans and Service Families, Dr Andrew Murrison MP, said:
It’s our duty to support people whilst they transition into civilian life. The service leavers’ Adjustments Passport will help those that need workplace adjustments by simplifying the process and enabling potential employers to provide the right support.
Ex-service personnel bring a wealth of skills and experience to the workplace which is why they are in demand. This Adjustments Passport is another step in realising their full potential at work.
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Rt Hon. Johnny Mercer MP, said:
Stable, long-term employment is key to veterans’ success after they leave service. That is why this Government is introducing a new Adjustments Passport, which will remove unnecessary bureaucracy, making it easier for sick or disabled veterans to get back into work.
It is just the latest example of how colleagues across government are making the UK the best place in the world to be a veteran.
The Passport will benefit employers as well as service leavers’ with big employers already recognising the potential of hiring from this group.
Tesco Group Chief Product Officer and Executive Sponsor of the Armed Forces Network, Ashwin Prasad, said:
We’re proud of our Gold Covenant Award status, which recognises our work to support veterans’ – thousands of whom we’re delighted to call Tesco colleagues.
We are committed to working with DWP to build upon our Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award and we’ll continue to support those leaving the Armed Forces as they re-enter civilian work life – offering them a number of adjustments to make the transition as smooth as possible.
The Passport will provide clear, helpful advice on the various types of funding and support which may be available to support employers with recruitment and retention.
It has been developed learning from Health Adjustments Passport piloted for Universities, and from closely working with Armed Services stakeholders – testing and shaping the document to suit their needs.
As all of the information about their workplace needs will be recorded on the passport, it removes the need for a service leaver to undergo an Access to Work assessment, helping the service leaver to receive in-work support more quickly.
The Adjustments Passport is available to all Armed Forces service leavers’ on a voluntary basis, with service leavers choosing to take up the offer if they feel it would benefit them. It can be accessed via the Careers Transition Partnership or GOV.UK.
Further information
- There were 16,510 leavers’ from the UK Regular Armed Forces between April 2022 and March 2023.
- In 2021/22, the total number of medical discharges across the Royal Navy, Army and RAF was 1,322.
- This is equivalent to four UK regular armed forces personnel being medically discharged each day.
- The service leavers Adjustments Passport can be accessed via the Careers Transition Partnership from today or downloaded from GOV.UK from 13 July.
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