According to the Equality Act 2010, the definition of a disabled person is someone with a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ effect on their ability to do normal daily activities.

Despite the same act declaring that a business cannot discriminate in the recruitment of disabled people, the disability employment gap is around 35%. This mean that if you are disabled you have 35% less chance of being employed compared to your non-disabled counterpart.

Together, along with the guidance and support provided on this website, we can help to bridge that gap and provide opportunities to those who have been left behind by traditional employment channels. Here is why employing a disabled person is not just a good thing to do, but is one of the best opportunities for the future potential of your company.

Benefits of Employing a Disabled Person

Today, 20% of working age adults are disabled, with 80% becoming disabled during their working careers. This means that if your business is not willing to provide any flexibility, accommodation or accessibility, every time you look to hire you are reducing one-fifth of your potential candidates.

Due to the economic impact of coronavirus the market is becoming increasingly competitive, so you can’t afford to ignore any potential advantage. That’s why we have detailed all the benefits of recruiting a disabled person, to show you how recruiting a disabled person is an essential step to ensure that your business survives and thrives.

Making the Job Accessible for a Disabled Person

Nobody expects you to become entirely disability confident overnight, even the government’s guidance on creating better accessibility recognises that the first step is to be open to change.

In turn, instead of trying to guess what adjustments you may need to make to the workplace, employing a disabled person means you can ask them first-hand what specific support they require. Better yet, the government will reimburse you for all the costs of acquiring that support. If you want to find out more about getting help to support your disabled employees, see our guide for accessing funding.

Extra Help

Employing a disabled person can seem like an insurmountable task, but the reality is that the vast majority of UK employers who started on that path wish they had started it sooner.

Furthermore, many have opted to try and hire even more disabled people, due to the vast number of benefits they present to their business.

Despite that fact, there are lots of organisations across the country who are set up to help employers like yourselves. To access this support, see our page on finding local assistance.

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