Barriers to employment
The issues around finding and keeping employment are generally consistent amongst disabled people, despite the range of differing impairment and access needs.
The list below details some of the key general barriers to employment faced by disabled people.
- Employers focusing on impairment and perceived problems rather than identifying skills and strengths which disabled people can bring to organisations
- The lack of flexibility within employment to work fewer or more flexible hours, to fit in with disability and support needs.
- Employers not being aware of their duties under The Disability Discrimination Act 1995
- Disabled people lacking confidence and creating their own barriers through assuming their impairment means they are limited in their potential.
- The benefits trap: a fear of losing benefits and not being paid enough to match benefits.
- Employers mistakenly perceiving that there are complex and expensive issues to be resolved when employing a disabled person.
- Employers lacking confidence in tackling issues of impairment with individuals, through not knowing where to access support, information, and equipment.
- Employers' approaches to disabled people being based on popular stereotypes of disabled people.
- Lack of access to public transport to get to/from work
- Lack of access to education and training
- Lack of the right kind of work experience
- Lack of information for both disabled people and businesses about where to access support services
