Remploy

Remploy was a United Kingdom organisation created in the aftermath of the Second World War to provide direct employment for disabled people. Established under the framework of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944, it opened its first factory in Bridgend, Wales, in 1946. The organisation subsequently developed a large network of supported factories across the country, employing disabled workers in manufacturing and other practical businesses with substantial government support. At its height, Remploy operated 83 factories and produced a varied range of goods. Its activities included manufacturing, recycling and other commercial services, with individual operations sometimes organised as specialist businesses. Examples included Remploy e-cycle, which handled the safe disposal and recycling of electrical equipment, a catering-related social enterprise known as Cook with Care, and a CCTV image-monitoring business. The factory model was intended to provide protected employment for people who faced significant barriers in the wider labour market, but it also depended heavily on public subsidy and preferential access to some public-sector contracts. From the beginning of the twenty-first century, Remploy increasingly shifted toward employment advice, vocational support and job placement. In 2006 it opened its first high-street employment-services branch in Birmingham and expanded its network of branches and offices around the United Kingdom. The employment-services business supported disabled people and other disadvantaged groups through government-funded programmes designed to help people enter or return to mainstream work. It became a participant in the Flexible New Deal and later delivered elements of the Work Programme as a prime contractor or subcontractor. Between 2009 and 2014, the service reported placing approximately 100,000 disabled people into jobs, while more than 10,500 people were placed during 2009–10 alone. The organisation's factory operations came under increasing scrutiny. A 2012 review led by disability-sector figure Liz Sayce concluded that public funding would generally have a greater impact if directed toward helping disabled people obtain mainstream employment rather than maintaining segregated, disabled-only factories. Following the government's acceptance of the review's broad direction, the subsidy for Remploy factories was withdrawn. Factory closures occurred in several stages: 29 sites closed in 2008 and a further 33 closed in 2012, resulting in the loss of 1,752 jobs. Some remaining activities were sold, transferred or separated into independent enterprises, including the sale of the CCTV business in 2013. Remploy Employment Services was removed from direct government control in 2015. Maximus acquired a 70 percent interest and an employee trust held the remaining 30 percent. Maximus later acquired the employee trust's interests, and in 2020 the employment-services business was absorbed into Maximus while Remploy continued as a trading name. The name was subsequently phased out in England and Wales in 2022 and in Scotland in 2026. The residual Remploy company was renamed Disabled People's Employment Corporation (GB) Ltd in 2015 and was dissolved in 2024. Remploy is therefore best understood as a historical UK supported-employment organisation and a legacy employment-services brand rather than an independent operating company.

Remploy was established in 1945 under the policy framework created by the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944. Its original purpose was to provide direct employment for disabled people in specialised factories. The first factory opened in Bridgend, Wales, in 1946, and the organisation expanded over subsequent decades into a national network of 83 factories. These sites manufactured a wide range of products and provided supported employment to people who might otherwise have faced exclusion from the labour market. The factory network was funded substantially by the UK government. Remploy also developed several related commercial activities, including electrical-equipment recycling through Remploy e-cycle, service operations such as CCTV image monitoring, and other manufacturing and social-enterprise activities. Public procurement rules introduced in 2006 allowed public bodies to reserve certain contracts for supported businesses employing a majority of disabled workers, helping such organisations compete for work while pursuing social objectives. During the early twenty-first century, Remploy began changing from a factory-based employer into a provider of employment advice and job-placement services. In 2006 it opened a high-street branch in Birmingham and then built a network of branches and offices from Glasgow to Plymouth. The new model supported disabled people and other disadvantaged groups in finding mainstream employment. Remploy participated in the Flexible New Deal from 2009 and later became a subcontractor in the Work Programme. It also introduced mobile jobs units in 2010 to reach people in areas with limited public transport. The employment-services division reported placing more than 10,500 people into jobs during 2009–10 and approximately 100,000 disabled people between 2009 and 2014. The future of the factories became controversial. In 2007, management proposed extensive closures, and 29 sites closed in 2008 after debate involving trade unions and political organisations. The government later commissioned a review of specialist employment programmes, led by Liz Sayce of RADAR. Published in 2012, the review argued that public resources would generally be more effective when used to support disabled people into mainstream employment instead of subsidising separate disabled-only factories. The government broadly accepted this approach and withdrew the subsidy supporting the factory network. Remploy proposed closing 36 of its 54 remaining factories, and 33 eventually closed in 2012, eliminating 1,752 jobs. Some sites or activities were sold or transferred. A proposed takeover of the Bristol factory by The Rehab Group did not proceed, while the Barrow-in-Furness factory was sold to Nationwide Filters Company. Cook with Care in Liverpool was spun off as a social enterprise, and the CCTV image-monitoring business was sold to Enigma CCTV in December 2013. The surviving sites faced different outcomes, including possible closure, sale or operation without government subsidy. The employment-services operation followed a different path. In 2014 the Department for Work and Pensions began seeking a private-sector arrangement for Remploy Employment Services. In 2015 Maximus acquired 70 percent and an employee trust acquired 30 percent. The transfer was completed on 7 April 2015. The employee trust later sold 10 percent to Maximus in 2018 and agreed to sell its remaining 20 percent in 2019. In April 2020 the employment-services business was absorbed into Maximus, although Remploy remained in use as a trading name. The legacy corporate structure was wound down separately. On 9 April 2015, the residual Remploy company was renamed Disabled People's Employment Corporation (GB) Ltd, and it was dissolved on 3 June 2024. Maximus phased out the Remploy name in England and Wales in September 2022 and planned to discontinue it in Scotland in March 2026. Remploy's history therefore spans two distinct models: a publicly supported network of direct-employment factories and a later employment-services business focused on helping disabled people and other disadvantaged jobseekers enter mainstream work.

• 2024

  Residual company dissolved

  [1]Remployen.wikipedia.org

  Disabled People's Employment Corporation (GB) Ltd, the renamed residual Remploy company, was dissolved.

• 2020

  Integration into Maximus

  [1]Remployen.wikipedia.org

  Remploy Employment Services was absorbed into Maximus, with Remploy retained temporarily as a trading name.

• 2015

  Employment-services privatisation

  [1]Remployen.wikipedia.org

  Remploy Employment Services transferred to a joint venture owned by Maximus and an employee trust.

• 2012

  Further factory closures

  [1]Remployen.wikipedia.org

  Thirty-three factories closed after the government accepted the broad direction of the Sayce review and withdrew factory subsidies.

• 2008

  First major factory-closure phase

  [1]Remployen.wikipedia.org

  Twenty-nine factories closed following the first major restructuring of Remploy's supported-employment network.

• 2006

  Expansion into high-street employment services

  [1]Remployen.wikipedia.org

  Remploy opened its first high-street employment-services branch in Birmingham and expanded its employment-support network.

• 1946

  First factory opens in Bridgend

  [1]Remployen.wikipedia.org

  The first Remploy factory opened in Bridgend, Wales, beginning the organisation's national supported-factory programme.

• 1945

  Remploy established

  [1]Remployen.wikipedia.org

  Remploy was created under the postwar framework for providing direct employment to disabled people.

Specialist employment-support provider for disabled people and others facing substantial barriers to work, with a historic role as a publicly subsidised supported-employment operator.

• Employment services · 2006

  Employment support services

  Remploy's later principal activity was providing employment advice, vocational guidance and practical support to disabled people and other jobseekers facing substantial barriers to work. Services were delivered through branches, offices and mobile units, and were intended to help participants obtain and retain mainstream employment.

• Supported employment · 1946

  Supported factories

  The original Remploy model employed disabled people directly in a national network of specialised factories. The factories manufactured varied products and operated with significant public support. Most of the network was closed between 2008 and 2013 as policy shifted toward mainstream employment support.

• Recycling services

  Remploy e-cycle

  Remploy e-cycle was a specialist business concerned with the safe disposal and recycling of electrical appliances, reflecting the organisation's effort to diversify beyond traditional factory manufacturing.

• Security services

  CCTV image monitoring

  Remploy operated a CCTV image-monitoring service as one of its later service businesses. The operation was sold to Enigma CCTV, a subsidiary of Enigma Security Solutions, in December 2013.

• Mobile employment support · 2010

  Mobile jobs units

  Two large mobile jobs units were introduced in 2010 to provide employment support in the High Peak and South Yorkshire. They were designed to reach disabled customers in areas where limited public transport made access to fixed offices difficult.

• 2015

  Transfer employment-services business to Maximus-led joint ventureM&A

  Background

  The Department for Work and Pensions sought to move Remploy Employment Services out of direct government control.

  Action taken

  Maximus acquired 70 percent of the business and an employee trust acquired 30 percent. The transfer completed on 7 April 2015.

  Aftermath

  The employee trust later sold its interests to Maximus, and the employment-services operation was absorbed into Maximus in 2020 while the Remploy trading name continued temporarily.

  Source

• 2012

  Withdraw support from most factory operationsStrategy

  Background

  The Sayce review concluded that government resources would generally be better directed toward mainstream employment support than toward subsidising disabled-only factories.

  Action taken

  The government broadly accepted the review's direction, withdrew the factory subsidy and supported a programme of closures, sales and possible independent transfers.

  Aftermath

  Thirty-three factories closed in 2012, resulting in the loss of 1,752 jobs, while some remaining activities were sold or separated into other organisations.

  Source

1. 1Remployen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Remploy official websiteremploy.co.uk