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Disabled workers call for employer mindset change

19 July 2013

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Disabled jobseekers believe employers attitudes are more of a barrier to work than transport issues, new research has shown. 

The findings come as the government launches a two-year advertising campaign to help employers become more confident at recruiting disabled people. 

The government has also pledged to provide streamlined advice and support for employers on hiring and keeping young people in work. 

There are 6.9 million disabled people of working age in Great Britain, and the employment rate for disabled people has increased gradually over the years from 42.2% in 2002 to 46.3% in 2012.

Over 40% of disabled people looking for work say that employers attitudes are a barrier to work and 37% say that transport is a barrier. 

Prime Minister David Cameron said: “This isn’t just about doing what is right for disabled people. Employing disabled people makes business sense too.

We need to break the myth about the complexities of employing disabled people, or to put it more simply – to give employers confidence. That is why we are launching this Disability Confident campaign.”

If disabled people’s employment rate matched that of the rest of the population, an extra 2 million disabled people would be working. 

Full details of the Disability Confident campaign are available online.