Supporting neurodivergent people into employment

Background

‘Neurodivergence’ describes a cognitive experience (how the brain processes information) that ‘diverges’ from what is considered to be typical. There is no ‘official’ definition of either term, and similarly, no official list of conditions that fall within their scope. However commonly recognised examples include:

• Autism
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Dyslexia
• Dyspraxia

The scientific and social understanding of neurodivergence and neurodiversity continues to evolve, as does consideration on what language is best used to describe them. The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) has published a briefing, Support for neurodivergent children and young people, which includes discussion on the terminology and classification of neurodivergent conditions.

Employment law and legal duties

Some neurodivergent people and people with learning disabilities will have protection under the Equality Act 2010 from disability discrimination. Under the act, a person is considered disabled if:

• they have a physical or mental impairment, and
• the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

The Equality Act 2010 prohibits both direct and indirect disability discrimination in employment and recruitment, and this applies to neurodivergent people and people with learning disabilities if the above criteria are met.

Under the Equality Act 2010, employers must make reasonable adjustments to support disabled job applicants and employees. These changes should either remove or reduce a disadvantage related to someone’s disability.

Some reports have suggested that access to adjustments for people with neurodivergent conditions can be difficult.

Employment statistics

Disabled people with autism and those with learning difficulties were among the least likely to be in employment of all disabled people according to DWP statistics from the ONS Annual Population Survey. This data does not include other neurodivergent conditions.

In the 2023/24 financial year, 30.2% of disabled people with autism as a main or secondary health condition were in employment, which compared to 54.7% for all disabled people and 82.0% of non-disabled people. 29.9% of people with severe or specific learning difficulties were in employment in 2023/24.

Government Policy

An independent panel of academics, led by Professor Amanda Kirby, was appointed on 30 January 2025 to look at how to improve job chances for neurodivergent people, and how to improve inclusion in the workplace. This review will cover “conditions such as ADHD; autism spectrum condition; developmental co-ordination disorder, which is also known as dyspraxia; dyslexia; dyscalculia; developmental language disorder; and tic disorders” and “the evidence around acquired brain injury”.

The review planned to publish their report in late summer, but as yet this has not happened.

The Buckland Review of Autism Employment was published in February 2024.  The review made recommendations across five areas:

1. To create a national campaign aimed at employers with initiatives to raise awareness, reduce stigma and capitalise on productivity, and promote the Autistica Neurodiversity Employers Index.
2. To support autistic people to begin or return to a career by promoting employment support programmes and ensuring these are designed to meet the needs of autistic people. This would also involve improving awareness of Access to Work and the support it can provide.
3. To put in place recruitment practices that appropriately support autistic applicants. This will include ensuring that careers advisors have a good understanding of autism and are able to provide appropriate advice to autistic people.
4. To support autistic people already in the workforce. This will involve ensuring that the 2018 Neurodiversity at Work guidance (PDF) is accessible to employers, and working with autism charities to produce “autism design guides”, which will “show how to create appropriate and supportive design of premises, furnishings, equipment and procedures”.
5. To encourage and support career progression, by promoting the value of support networks within larger organisations, and by developing packages of training focused on helping autistic staff to progress.