Sick and disabled people will have greater opportunities to move into work under major reforms to the Disability Confident scheme, as the Government seeks to improve living standards and create more inclusive workplaces across the UK.
Launched in 2016, the current scheme has supported thousands of employers, but its impact has varied significantly between regions, often failing to reflect local needs. While around two‑thirds of employers say the scheme has benefited their organisation, the Keep Britain Working review, led by Sir Charlie Mayfield, concluded that although the programme has strong foundations, it “lacks teeth”.
In response, the Government is redesigning the scheme to make employer participation more meaningful, more ambitious, and more effective in improving employment outcomes for disabled people. The reforms will be tested with employers and through the Keep Britain Working Review Vanguards, and include:
- Reducing the time organisations can remain at Level 1 of the scheme from three years to two, and removing the option to renew at this level, encouraging employers to progress.
- Tailored support for SMEs, ensuring smaller businesses can fully benefit from the programme.
- Greater employer‑to‑employer collaboration, enabling peer support, shared best practice and wider access to practical resources.
- Stronger involvement from disabled people, ensuring guidance and expectations reflect lived experience.
The aim of the overhaul is to improve employers’ experience of the scheme, incentivise progress through its levels, and ensure workplaces are truly inclusive of disabled talent. This is expected to support more disabled people into secure work and help address the UK’s challenge of over 2.8 million people currently signed off long‑term sick.
Today, around 19,000 employers are signed up to Disability Confident, representing approximately 11 million employees. The improved scheme is expected to reach even more organisations, driving better workplace standards nationwide.
The reforms form part of wider Government action to unlock work for sick and disabled people, including:
- £1 billion investment in employment support by 2030
- The Connect to Work programme, supporting 300,000 people into employment
- Employer‑led Vanguards addressing barriers highlighted in the Keep Britain Working Review
Sir Stephen Timms, Minister for Social Security and Disability, said:
“Disability Confident - with around 19,000 employers signed up - has enormous potential. For too long, though, it has not delivered enough support for disabled people, or for employers who want to recruit, retain and develop disabled people.
“That’s why we are improving the scheme, through robust reforms to ensure a better service for all, including through greater support for SMEs and improving access to resources for employers.
“This comes alongside our investment of £1 billion a year in employment support by the end of the decade, and our Connect to Work programme which will help 300,000 sick or disabled people into work by the end of the parliament.”
The Government will work closely with existing scheme members, SMEs, large employers including Disability Confident Leaders such as The Gym Group, and the new Independent Disability Advisory Panel to ensure reforms are both effective and realistic.
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