Work is taking place to prevent the rising unemployment figures in Bradford “disproportionately affecting” people with disabilities, a council manager has declared.

Figures released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) yesterday revealed people with disabilities are less likely to be in employment than those without.

According to the data, in 2011, 45.6 per cent of people aged 16 to 64 with a disability which limits their daily activities, known as DDA disabled, were in work in the UK, compared to 76.2 per cent without a disability.

Terry Davis, principal manager of employment and skills at Bradford Council, said a rise had been seen in the number of users requesting services for disabled people, including the Work Contract scheme, a specialist programme to help disabled people into work, run alongside the Jobcentre.

Mr Davis said: “We always know disabled people are disproportionately affected, so as the figures of unemployed go up, it will include more disabled people."