Nick Smith MP is asking businesses to back a summer challenge to support disabled employees into work.

The Blaenau Gwent has signed up to the Disability Confident scheme, which aims to make employers more inclusive and open up their workforce to disabled people.

As part of the scheme he is writing to borough businesses to get them to sign up before the end of the summer.

Speaking after the launch, Mr Smith said his previous campaigning to save the Abertillery Remploy factory had driven home the extra difficulties disabled employees have to get into the world of work.

“Disabled people make up a fifth of the working age population, and our local employers could be missing out on a large proportion of the talent in our community”, he said.

“I hope this will be a start of lots more Blaenau Gwent employers becoming Disability Confident and improved opportunities for local disabled people to realise their potential in the workplace.”

The challenge is part of a national campaign to support employers to increase the diversity of their workforce and offer opportunities to disabled jobseekers, including work experience, apprenticeships, work trials and employment.

It has three levels for employers to attain from Committed all the way up to Leader.

For more information, visit www.gove.uk/disability-confident