Employers across the UK are being held back from hiring people with a learning disability by a ‘misplaced fear’ of getting it wrong, not by cost or capability, new polling reveals.
The survey of more than 1,600 UK employers, conducted by Survation for the learning disability charity Mencap1, shows a clear gap between positive attitudes and real-world action. Whilst most employers say people with a learning disability can be productive and valuable employees, many are not translating that belief into hiring decisions, often due to uncertainty about practical issues such as health and safety, making reasonable adjustments, and how to support someone in their role.
- 80% of employers believe people with a learning disability can be productive at work, yet 48% employ none
- 37% cite health and safety concerns as a barrier
- 30% worry about saying or doing the wrong thing
- Nearly a quarter (23%) say they don’t know what adjustments to make
- But most say adjustments are not expensive (53%) and are straightforward with the right support (69%)
The findings challenge the narrative that financial pressures are the main barrier to inclusive hiring2. They point instead to a lack of confidence and understanding among employers, despite broad openness to employing people with a learning disability.
Around one million people with a learning disability in the UK are of working age3. People want the opportunity to earn, contribute and live independently4, but employers’ nervousness is preventing them from entering the workforce. A learning disability is a life-long condition, usually identified in early childhood, that affects intellectual ability. People with a learning disability, such as Down syndrome, may take longer to learn and need support to develop skills, understand information and communicate, but with the right support, many can work.
Mencap says employers should not be put off by concerns around complexity or cost. While employers have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010, in practice these are often simple and low-cost, such as offering extra time to learn tasks, providing clear instructions, or adjusting working hours.
The charity says practical guidance and support are readily available, including through its Mencap Training Academy, which offers intensive support with recruitment, training and job coaching.
During Learning Disability Week (15 to 21 June) Mencap is calling on employers to move beyond hesitation and recognise people with a learning disability as a valuable and overlooked part of the UK workforce rather than being written off.
The findings come amid wider concern about economic inactivity and labour shortages, highlighting a large, overlooked workforce being shut out of jobs. Only a few weeks ago Alan Milburn warned of a “lost generation”. At the same time, growing debate about people not in education, employment or training (NEET), risks underplaying the role of reasonable adjustments and employer support in enabling people to work. For people with a learning disability, Mencap says, generations have already been shut out of the workplace.
Jon Sparkes OBE, chief executive at Mencap, said: ‘Too many employers are held back by a misplaced fear of getting it wrong.
‘The good news is that most already believe people with a learning disability can do the job, but that belief isn’t translating into action.
‘Our research shows the barriers are often about confidence and understanding, not cost. Adjustments are usually simple, and the benefits to businesses are clear.
‘If we’re serious about widening access to work, employers need the right information and support to move beyond good intentions and act on the commitment people with a learning disability bring.’
Polling suggests many employers are open to change but lack practical knowledge of how to get started. Almost a third worry about saying or doing the wrong thing, while others raise concerns about time, health and safety, or managing adjustments.
Four in ten (40%) employers say they would consider hiring someone with a learning disability but have not yet done so, while only a small minority (8%) say nothing would change their mind.
Mencap is calling on employers to:
- Make recruitment processes accessible from the start
- Provide clear, simple internal guidance on reasonable adjustments
- Offer entry‑level opportunities and supported routes into work
- Build confidence among managers through training and real‑world examples
and on policymakers to:
- Invest in and improve employment programmes such as Access to Work and supported internships
- Improve awareness of employers’ legal responsibilities
- Expand access to practical support for businesses
- Reduce barriers to entry-level employment opportunities and expand routes into work
The charity says much of the uncertainty employers feel can be addressed with straightforward, practical support, while also helping people with a learning disability to access and succeed in work. Through the Mencap Training Academy, employers can access step-by-step guidance on inclusive recruitment5, understand what reasonable adjustments look like in practice, and build confidence among managers and teams. People with a learning disability can also access support to develop skills, prepare for employment, and get into work.
Employers and people with a learning disability can find out more at Mencap Training Academy – www.mencap.org.uk/academy
Written by: Mencap
https://www.mencap.org.uk/press-release/misplaced-fear-not-cost-stopping-employers-hiring-people-learning-disability
