The disability employment gap affects 16million - can the government fix it?
'Nothing was ever mentioned about career options or further education,' the 39-year-old, who was born deaf, tells Metro. 'I can't remember ever being told that I could do whatever I wanted, or anybody talking to me about what life would be like as a deaf adult.'
It's no wonder that such a lack of support left Keighley, who lives in Essex, struggling to find consistent work after leaving school – a problem compounded by difficulties communicating.
'We moved from London to Essex when I was 15, and I didn't attend school after that,' she continues. 'It led to depression and left me feeling like I wouldn't ever achieve anything in life.'
40-year-old Holly Donovan can relate, never having a full-time job. Not because they don't want one, but because they cannot find employment that accommodates their disability.
'All I want to do is work, but there aren't enough opportunities for disabled people like me,' says Holly, who uses a wheelchair due to a childhood cancer which left them with chronic pain and a metal rod in their back.
'I'm stuck only living on Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which could be cut under Labour's plans, while my partner has to support me because I can't bring any money in. I'm living in poverty, and I shouldn't be.'
The difference in employment rates between disabled and non-disabled people is stark. At the end of 2024, the disability employment gap stood at 28.6% – a 1% increase from 2023.
It's a breach that has remained stagnant at around 30% for three decades, and while Labour has promised to get one million people back into work, the workplace hurdles disabled people face are often complex.
'The disability employment gap exists because of a combination of systemic, structural, and cultural barriers,' explains Sue Wray, head of community for Hamelin, a disability charity focused on empowering autistic adults and people with learning disabilities. 'Then there's the issue of assumptions; too many employers still make snap judgements about someone's abilities without really understanding their strengths.'
As Keighley and Holly know too well, the roots of the issue often stem way before working age. And while there's no doubt that upcoming generations have benefited from the improvement of special educational needs (SEN) education, many disabled children are still losing out on access to proper education.
Talking about their school days in the late nineties, Holly tells Metro: 'There was no form of encouragement; they would just dump me in a corner, isolated, then push me to my next lesson to get dumped again.
'School was something I had to endure rather than taking anything from and nobody taught me about reasonable adjustments, so I had no idea I could ask for them at work opportunities.'
When Holly did get their first work experience at a pharmacy as an assistant, it was cut short due to physical pain.
'By the end of the first week, I just burst into tears because I was in too much pain,' they say. 'That was the point when I realised that I didn't know what I was going to do because my body clearly couldn't handle traditional employment.'
Research shows that approximately 28% of UK workers use a hybrid model of work, splitting time between home and the office, and around 13% of workers are fully remote. While this may feel like a step towards workplace inclusivity, Holly believes that it doesn't address the base issue: without being able to gain meaningful work placement in the first place, it's nigh on impossible to secure a job – remote or not.
'How am I ever going to compete in a job market where I'll never have the same amount of experience as an able-bodied person of the same age? Last time I went for a remote position, I was fighting against 321 people; it's no wonder that I didn't get it,' says Holly.
While the rights of disabled people at work are protected under the Equality Act 2010, many are unaware that they are eligible for support.
For example, the government grant scheme Access to Work helps cover additional costs for employers and employees with health issues. In 2023/24, it supported nearly 50,000 people, but the system is under immense pressure.
The average wait time for assistance is currently 12 to 16 weeks, with some waiting up to 30 weeks.
'Although it can be life-changing when it works well, delays, poor communication, and inconsistent decision-making have left many unable to access the support they need,' explains Sue Wray.
'In some cases, people have had to turn down employment opportunities altogether due to waiting months for the assistance they were entitled to.'
Keighley is one of the scheme's success stories. When her second son was born deaf in 2015, she wanted to lead by example and show him that he could achieve anything he wanted, so set her sights on becoming a childminder.
'In past customer service jobs, I would lose commissions because I'd have to pass clients over to colleagues when I couldn't hear them – but then I met a wonderful lady who was a childminder who offered me a job,' she says. 'Around that time, I also learned about Access to Work and realised that when the time came, I could set up my own childminding business with the right support.'
Keighley has since founded her own business, which provides communication support workers for 40 hours a week, enabling her to communicate effectively with parents. But, Keighley stresses, she only found out about Access to Work after meeting other deaf adults at a group for deaf toddlers and children. 'I came across it by chance,' she says.
Another government initiative, the Disability Confident scheme, encourages employers to think differently; however, Jane Hatton, CEO and founder of EvenBreak, a not-for-profit career support service for disabled people, believes it 'lacks accountability and meaningful benchmarks'.
'Disability Confident rightly acknowledges that employers must become more inclusive, she adds, 'but data shows that those employers [who have] become 'Disability Confident' don't employ more disabled people than others, so the label is largely symbolic.'
EvenBreak is one of the numerous non-governmental organisations making significant efforts to close the gap by collaborating with job seekers and employers to provide support and resources that enhance inclusivity and accessibility. Hamelin is another, and has launched an initiative called Ability Works to support autistic adults and individuals with learning disabilities in securing employment.
One person benefitting, is Ederson Silva, 45, who had to start from scratch following an accident that made him a wheelchair user. As the main provider for his family, Ederson had to return to work because even after 30 years of pension contributions, the support provided wouldn't cover the basic needs of his family.
However, he tells Metro, he found it challenging to convince recruiters and employers of his employability.
'Vacancies for people with disabilities tend to be very limited; this was the biggest challenge, there are simply fewer opportunities,' he explains from his home in Broughton.
'I was fortunate to have over 22 years of prior experience in my field, and working in a specialised area made it more attractive for companies to value my expertise despite my disability.'
After getting in touch with STEM Returners, Ederson was contacted with a 12-week placement opportunity and the scheme supported him through every step.
'At the end, I had the opportunity to become a permanent member of the team and I took it,' he adds. 'I had very little hope of being able to provide a dignified life for my family again. Now, I feel once again a respected professional in the workforce. Being able to give my family the dignity they deserve has been life-changing.'
Meanwhile, Holly has joined a UK government initiative called The Work and Health Programme but admits the process is incredibly frustrating.
'It was absolute murder to try and get on it; I'd phone up the DWP hotline and most of them didn't even know the scheme existed,' Holly explains. Although the initiative helped them write a CV and get interviews, no job offers followed.
'I always get great feedback – but they still go with someone who has more experience every time,' she says. 'I feel used as part of a tick box exercise for employers to show that they've looked at disabled people for the job.'
Following the announcement of Labour's numerous plans to help disabled people return to work, a DWP spokesperson told Metro: 'We are determined to bring down the disability employment gap and to do this, our £1 billion reforms will help sick or disabled out of poverty and our Keep Britain Working review will provide recommendations for government and employers on how they can better support disabled people and those with ill health who are at risk of falling out of work.'
Despite this apparent will to close the gap, many experts feel the solution remains unclear. Others also warn that the government's approach does not take into account some disabled and chronically ill people. More Trending
'If we're serious about closing that gap, we need practical, properly funded support that's delivered efficiently and designed with disabled people, not just for them,' says Sue Wray.
'The Connect to Work programme [a new government initiative to help disabled people move into and maintian work] might be a step towards this, but we remain unconvinced that the level of funding is sufficient to make any significant headway, especially as providers are asked to deliver support for a very broad group of jobseekers, including people with mental health conditions, ex-offenders and care leavers, within a relatively small financial envelope.'
'The government needs to stop cutting essential support and start strengthening what already exists,' adds Jane Hatton. 'Just as importantly, the narrative needs to change.
'The idea that disabled people choose not to work is simply untrue and deeply damaging. The government should lead by example and employ more disabled people directly to show what inclusive hiring really looks like.'
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