Disabled people should have the same opportunities as everyone to find a job, stay in work and build a career. Yet across Britain, too many are locked out of opportunities by barriers that can, and must, be removed. The "disability employment gap" is the difference in employment rates between disabled and non-disabled people. It has been stuck at around 30 percentage points for more than a decade. This is a clear sign that the UK is failing disabled people. 

Our analysis highlights the important areas where barriers persist: 

• Structural barriers to employment including limited flexible working, delays to adjustments, restrictive policies, inaccessible environments and negative employer attitudes all hinder entry, retention and progression. 
• The job market and its changes that create regional and sectoral disparities and often push disabled people into insecure lower paid roles. 
• Education including the transition to work, barriers to gaining qualifications, and inaccessible education settings and discrimination.  
• Employment and complementary support that is voluntary and tailored to the individual, covering in-work support as well as financial, housing, and health and wellbeing needs. 
• Financial barriers that prevent the return to the workplace such as insufficient or overly sanctioned or conditioned benefits. 
• Targeted population groups who face specific barriers and challenges along their disability employment journey, such as young people with mental health or neurodivergent conditions or older workers with physical or mental health conditions. 

We have explored the factors driving the Disability Employment Gap and identified the main themes that must be addressed. ‘Work Without Barriers: Blueprint for achieving employment equality’ is the first paper in an ambitious programme of work. We will publish a series of reports setting out the evidence and recommendations needed to halve the gap. 

Read our new report to learn more about the structural barriers disabled people are facing in workplaces and what needs to change.

Further papers will be released throughout the remainder of 2026.