1. UK Profile
Dr Stephen FRY

2. What is the UK England Scotland Wales
Northern Ireland – also called Ulster
Each Kingdom is divided into:
Counties
Districts
Cities
Towns
Villages / Parishes
UK National Parliament
Scottish Parliament
Welsh Assembly
Northern Ireland Assembly (suspended)
English Regional Assemblies (proposed)
Scottish RDA (1)
Welsh RDA (1)
NI RDA (1)
English RDAs (5)
33% of all UK GDP is generated in one English region – The South East

3. Core Data The UK is home to 59.6 million people – mid 2003
The UK population increased by 6.5 per cent in the last thirty years
17% of people (1 in 6) aged 65 or over
Average age 38.4 years (increase on years)
UK has an ageing population

4. Hearing and Age
increase in the proportion of adults with hearing difficulties - 13% to 16%.
The percentage of people reporting that they wore a hearing aid doubled from 2% in 1979 to 4% in 2002.
Hearing difficulties vary between genders with age – older males more prone to deafness

5. Visually and Aurally Impaired - England
At 31 March ,000 people were registered blind (decrease of 1,100 March 2000)
At 31 March ,000 people were registered partially sighted (an increase of 6,500 since March 2000)
25% of all registered blind people who had an additional disability were recorded as deaf or with a hearing impairment
23% of all registered partially sighted people who had an additional disability were deaf or had a hearing impairment.

6. Labour Market
Employment rate for people of working age was 74.8% for three months ending Nov 2004
The unemployment rate was 4.7%, unchanged on the previous quarter, although the trend continues to fall.
The number of unemployed people increased by 13,000, to reach 1.40 million.
The inactivity rate for people of working age was 21.4%

7. Employment Opportunity for Target Group
Both Aurally and Visually impaired have figures hidden within UK statistics.
Unclear if they unemployed – those unemployed appear within the 21.4% of non-active labour market.
They would claim a range of benefits that are not counted within the unemployed statistic
Disability/Mobility/Incapacity
Employment opportunity is protected under legislations – EO and DDA
Unemployment benefits stop at 60/65 years old (soon raising to 70) – retirement pensions and other types of benefit kick in
UK Government is attempting to reduce the levels of recipients of incapacity benefits and push into work
Large number of distributive sector employers offering flexible hours opportunity for “grey hairs of experience”
Service sector and self employed also have high levels of +60s

8. Education - England Formal learning Commences @ 5 years
Key Stages 1-4 achieved through assessment
Formal 16 years – end of formal education with GCSEs
FE and HE systems vocational and academic through to university 18+ with AS & A level, AVCE, degrees etc.
Support for learners with special needs – “Statementing” – educational psych yrs
Some supplemental support for learners 19+

9. FE – adult education
Supplemental learning for people with disabilities – full funding through Local Learning and Skills Councils
People on means tested benefits or who are on work seeking benefit receive free FE
People in work or not in receipt of such benefits pay approximately 20% of the total learning cost
All literacy and numeracy key skills learning is free
Primary route for people with aural and visual impairments – depending on severity – is through e-learning or mixed media learning
No proscriptive routes – learning is an inclusive activity regardless of age or ability

10. Learning Provision for Target Group
Aural Impairment
Part funded
No specific funding provision
Visual text based e-learning (mostly in English)
Visual Impairment
ICT adjustment through e-learning to support partially sighted
Seniors (over 60)
Recent removal of additional subsidies supporting AE for elderly access (silver surfing)
Funding provision the same as catch all provision under LSC guidelines.
Some separate FE provision (local and scattered) for chalk and talk opportunity
Growth in private sector enterprise “U3A”
Target groups can be supported through ability net
Target groups can be supported through current ESF Key Actions

11. UK Legislations Equal Opportunities Health & Safety at work
Gender
Race
Sexuality
(Dis)Ability
Age??
Health & Safety at work
(Dis)Ability and Age may affect liability and safety
Disability Discrimination Act
Untried and untested use of the term Reasonable

12. UK Needs Analysis Access to learning
Access to upskilling for work – competence based
Access learning support software
Access through DDA
Pre-comparator to H&S requirements
Removal of Incapacity Benefit as route to not working
Fiscal support to employers
Access to target support groups
Continued removal of barriers to learning and work

13. Fry-Samuels & Associates (Lymington) Ltd
FIN
Fry-Samuels & Associates (Lymington) Ltd