Remploy

Specialties

Remploy’s mission is to transform the lives of disabled people and those experiencing complex barriers to work by providing sustainable employment opportunities.

We achieve this by:

Creating equality in employment

Facilitating their access to sustainable employment and careers

Enabling them to achieve their ambitions and maximise their potential

Since 1946, Remploy has been providing employment and support for disabled people and a large network of factories was developed in the 1950s and 60s employing disabled people.

But as the economic climate became more difficult for manufacturing and society began questioning whether it was right for disabled people to be employed in segregated workplaces, Remploy started developing employment services which supported disabled people into mainstream jobs working alongside non-​disabled colleagues.

The service provided by Remploy Employment Services is a central part of the support provided to disabled people to find work in this country, and our record of achievement in this area is second to none.

We believe that work is a key element of an independent and fulfilling life, and that everyone has skills and abilities to offer. We work extensively with people to help them to identify, develop and make the most of those abilities.

History

Established in 1946.

Remploy was established in April 1945 under the 1944 Disabled Persons (Employment) Act introduced by Ernest Bevin, the Minister for Labour. The first factory opened in 1946 at Bridgend in South Wales making furniture and violins. Many of the workers were disabled ex-​miners but as the factory network grew, employment was provided for disabled people returning from the Second World War.

Originally named the Disabled Persons Employment Corporation, Remploy adopted its current name in 1946. The name was derived from the term ‘re-​employ’.

Remploy’s factory network manufactured products in a range of business sectors including school furniture, motor components and chemical, biological and nuclear protection suits for police and military.

In 1988, Remploy recognised that it could broaden its support in meeting the employment needs of disabled people and those with health conditions. It expanded into helping individuals find work with companies outside its factory network.