A new report has revealed that less than 5% of people with a learning disability are in paid employment (4.8%).
A landmark review into supporting people to stay in work found that people with disabilities face significant barriers to entering the workplace and to staying in work due to a lack of appropriate adjustments.
The final report of Sir Charlie Mayfield’s Keep Britain Working Review has also revealed that people with disabilities are more than twice as likely to be unemployed and almost three times as likely to be economically inactive compared to non-disabled people.
This represents huge untapped potential within the working-age population, as a recent Mencap survey found that 86% of people with a learning disability who are not in work would like to be.
People with learning disabilities ‘locked out of work’
Commissioned by the government, the Mayfield Review explores issues surrounding ill-health and disability in the workplace.
Introducing his final report, Sir Charlie Mayfield asserts that “Britain is a facing a quiet but urgent crisis.”
He cites the fact that more than 1 in 5 working-age adults are now out of the workforce in Britain, and that this is mainly due to ill-health. Employers are losing £85 billion a year due to employee sickness, turnover and lost productivity, while workers are being driven out by physical and mental health problems, with many older workers leaving prematurely, and people with disabilities remaining “locked out of work.”
The government has declared its mission to help keep people in work and support employers to build healthier and more resilient workplaces.
Sr Charlie Mayfield explained:
“With the right approach, many more people could stay in work, recover faster, and live healthier, more secure lives. Employers would retain experienced staff and see higher productivity. Government would save billions and be able to focus resources on those who need them most. Everyone gains if we can keep Britain working.”
He also warned that Britain was “sliding into an avoidable crisis,” but added:
“Employers are uniquely placed to make a difference, preventing health issues where possible, supporting people when they arise, and helping them return to work. If we keep Britain working, everyone wins – people, employers, and the state.”
Health and disability in the workplace
His review identified three key issues related to health and disability in the workplace. These were:
- A culture of fear which creates distance between employers and employees and discourages safe and early disclosure of health concerns, preventing constructive conversations and support.
- A lack of practical or consistent support for employers and their employees in managing health and tackling barriers faced by people with disabilities. The review found that the current ‘fit note’ system is not working as intended, compounding the issue.
- People with disabilities face structural challenges when trying to start or remain in work. The UK lags behind its international comparators in terms of systemic support for people with disabilities in the workplace, and this has led to them being disproportionately excluded from the workforce.
The review argues that workplace health must become a proactive, shared responsibility among employers, employees and the health service.
It suggests that employers should take additional measures to remove barriers for people with disabilities, prevent illness and support rehabilitation. Meanwhile, employees have a responsibility to engage with employment and potential support to aid recovery and resilience.
Keeping people healthy and in work is ‘essential’
The government has a pivotal role to play in enabling and incentivizing employers and employees. This includes steps such as:
- Tackling barriers such as the fit note system
- Reorienting incentives
- Establishing a robust evidence base for which workplace wellbeing initiatives actually work
Sir Charlie says:
“Robust evidence will show that shared responsibility delivers the best outcomes – keeping people in work, improving health, increasing inclusion and saving the state billions. With that evidence, government must deploy a full range of targeted incentives – from procurement, rebates and the tax system, through to reforms to welfare and dispute resolution – to drive and sustain change.”
He recommends a phased implementation approach which will see the government working with willing employers and providers to develop and prove what works, before rolling it out across the wider economy over the next three to seven years.
He has urged the government to immediately launch a three-year ‘vanguard phase’ to deliver three significant employment changes that will form the framework for general adoption across the country. These are:
- Better retention of workers with physical or mental health conditions, and those who are neurodivergent;
- Longer, healthier working lives for older workers;
- Stronger support for people with disabilities.
Responding to the Mayfield Review, Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden acknowledged: “His message is crystal clear: keeping people healthy and in work is the right thing to do and is essential for economic growth.”
He added that the government was launching employer-led Vanguards as part of its Plan for Change to drive economic growth and boost opportunity.
Change is urgently needed for people with learning disabilities
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive of Mencap, Jon Sparkes OBE, said:
“We know that 86% of people with a learning disability are not in work, want a paid job, but there are currently too few inclusive roles and training opportunities to support them into employment. Change is urgently needed for people with a learning disability to access simple adjustments – such as more accessible communication or on the job support to help them get bedded into a role.
“We look forward to working with more employers on creating inclusive workplaces, and hope that this review will not only boost the economy but also create a fairer society – helping people with a learning disability to get onto the career ladder and reach their full potential.”
However, Dan White, Policy and Campaigns Officer at Disability Rights UK (DRUK) argued that the review “fundamentally misunderstands that people are disabled by societal and workplace barriers, not just by their conditions.”
He criticised government cuts to schemes like Access to Work and added:
“Despite acknowledging the dangers work poses to many disabled people, the review, like many before it, focuses mostly on employers and what can be done to support them, with little concrete suggestions to bolster Disabled people’s rights in the workplace. And thus, we struggle to see the impact it will have.”
Mencap offers a range of factsheets on learning disability and employment, the benefits for employers, making reasonable adjustments and many other key topics.
People with learning disabilities ‘absolutely vital’ to the workforce
First Response Training (FRT) employs over 100 Experts with Lived Experience Co-Trainers as part of its delivery of the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training Programme.
Expert Co-Trainers can be Experts with Lived Experience of a Learning Disability or Autistic Experts with Lived Experience. They co-deliver Oliver’s Training alongside a facilitating trainer and share their stories, insights, and expertise to help others understand learning disabilities and neurodiversity and how to support people who have a learning disability or are neurodivergent.
These Expert Co-Trainers are directly employed, trained, paid and supported to thrive in their roles.
Leon Williams, Lead Director at FRT, says they are “absolutely vital to the development and delivery of meaningful autism and learning disability training courses.”
Meanwhile, Becky Cropper, Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training Lead at FRT, says supporting Expert Co-Trainers to enter the workforce “is a real privilege.”
Becky works with job centres, community groups and charities to engage with people with learning disabilities and autistic people and provide them with this opportunity for employment. They are supported through training and induction, and throughout their role, with tailored support and reasonable adjustments applied for each Expert Co-Trainer according to their individual needs. Ongoing support includes a dedicated telephone support line for all Experts to access.
The hard work of Becky and her team led to the leading national training provider being nominated for an award at this year’s National Learning Disabilities and Autism Awards.
FRT were shortlisted for the Employer Award, which recognises an exceptional employer who is committed to ensuring their employees deliver an excellent service to their customers, people with learning disabilities and autistic people, and their families.
Amratpal Bhogal, Expert with Lived Experience of a Learning Disability at FRT, says:
“I love being a co-trainer because I get to meet so many people from different parts of the NHS and share my lived experience with them. The support I’ve received has been incredible.”
Learning disabilities and autism training
FRT delivers over 7,000 courses each year in the fields of health and safety, first aid, fire safety, food safety, mental health, health and social care and other special focus topics.
They were one of the first training providers in the country to be approved to offer essential training in line with the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism.
They are quality assured to deliver Oliver’s Training through the Quality Assured Care Learning Service from the Department of Health and Social Care and Skills for Care.
The national training provider aims to empower and educate staff to transform their practice by embracing the lived experiences of autistic individuals and those with learning disabilities. Through the collaborative strength of their trios—facilitating trainers and experts with lived experience — FRT aims to inspire lasting change in how individuals are understood, supported, and valued.
FRT are hosting a series of open, public Tier 2 courses in London, Manchester and Birmingham in the coming months. You can book a space on any of these courses online now.
FRT have also developed a free-to-download quick guide to the new Oliver McGowan draft code of practice.
This guide explains what the new code of practice means for health and social care providers, how to stay current, and how to meet new legal duties.
You can also download FRT’s free Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training brochure.
For further information on other types of neurodiversity training, visit their webpage or download the brochure.
You can contact FRT via freephone 0800 310 2300, send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com or submit an online enquiry.