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UK Department for Work and Pensions figures show disabled people have a 53% employment rate compared to 82.4% for non-disabled people, representing a 29.4 percentage point employment gap that has worsened over the past year. The article analyzes whether this gap reflects actual barriers to employment or changes in how disability is defined in official statistics.
UK government disability employment figures show a 30 percentage point gap between disabled (53%) and non-disabled (82.4%) employment rates, with the annual figures revealing the gap actually increased from 26.8% to 28% year-on-year. Disability rights organizations call for a comprehensive national strategy including flexible job creation, adequate funding for support schemes, and employer accountability to close the persistent employment disadvantage faced by disabled people.
The Inclusion in Awards 2026 recognised leaders, teams and organisations driving workplace inclusion across hospitality, travel, leisure and retail sectors, with specific awards for disability inclusion and social mobility initiatives. The event also raised £300,000 for Team Domenica, a charity supporting young people with learning disabilities into employment.
Sunnyfield, an Australian intellectual disability service provider, has deployed Cloda, an AI-powered policy assistant, to 1,500 frontline staff to improve access to approved policies and procedures in disability support work. The tool helps care workers quickly find answers to workplace questions in multiple languages, aiming to improve service quality and consistency in disability support delivery.
UK government statistics show 5.6 million disabled people were employed in April-June 2026, with a 53% employment rate compared to 82.4% for non-disabled people, representing a 29.4 percentage point disability employment gap. The data reveals disabled people face higher rates of job loss, lower transition rates into employment, and are more likely to be underemployed or working in lower-skilled occupations.
The article argues that inclusive hiring of neurodivergent employees must extend beyond recruitment to workplace retention and progression, as many neurodivergent workers face barriers after being hired despite successful onboarding. It recommends practical workplace adjustments like advance meeting agendas, manager training, and workplace passports to create inclusive environments that benefit all employees.
A Cork pub has partnered with tech company AssistiV Ireland to hire David Mullins, a man with an intellectual disability, using touch-screen technology that converts complex tasks into simple visual and audio cues to support his work as a bartender and server. The technology is now being rolled out across Irish hospitality venues to address employment barriers for people with intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, and autism, with 48 people currently supported in roles across hospitality and other sectors.
Belarus is implementing a financing model where business and the state will equally fund employment opportunities for people with disabilities. This policy aims to expand employment prospects for disabled individuals through shared public-private investment.
The UK government's budget announcement delays decisions on disability benefit cuts and reforms, with final reports on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and support for young people expected in November and government response by year-end. The budget includes some measures to ease disability poverty such as energy bill payments and changes to carer's allowance, but hints at future cuts to PIP spending.
Ireland's Minister for Disability announced €2 million in funding for 13 organisations promoting equal employment opportunities for women, including Now Training & Employment Enterprise which supports neurodiverse, autistic, and learning-disabled people into long-term employment. The funding aims to remove employment barriers for women across Dublin and Louth through the European Social Fund Plus programme.
Association's concerns come as academic criticises inquiry's lack of focus on people with learning disabilities in report on how social care fared during the pandemic The British Association of...
_Jobcentre Plus should be devolved to the Scottish Government, argues Stephen McMurray._ There remains a significant employment rate gap in Scotland between disabled people and people with...
Frances B Lafferty shares her journey from childhood dyslexia to aviation, health and safety and workplace wellbeing ahead of Dyslexia Awareness Week 2026.
Ongoing support for employers who hire neurodivergent workers Irish Examiner
Sep 17, 2026 _The Department for Work and Pensions has published a Rapid Evidence Assessment on how employers can be supported to recruit disabled people and people with health conditions, according...
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