House of Commons Committee calls for reforms to improve employment opportunities for disabled workers

Background

On 21 May 2026, the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee (Committee) published its report, Employment support for disabled people: Disability at Work, following an inquiry into the disability employment gap and the effectiveness of existing government support schemes. The inquiry examined why disabled people continue to face barriers entering and remaining in work, despite existing protections under the Equality Act 2010.

The report found that many disabled employees and job applicants continue to encounter avoidable barriers at work. In particular, the Committee highlighted employer reluctance to make reasonable adjustments and concerns about the accessibility of recruitment processes and working environments.

Key recommendations

One of the Committee’s central recommendations is that employers should be required to respond in writing to requests for reasonable adjustments within two weeks. Where a request is refused, employers would need to explain whether they accept that the individual is disabled, whether they consider the individual to be placed at a substantial disadvantage, and why the requested adjustment was not considered reasonable. Employers would also need to identify any guidance or advice relied upon when reaching their decision.

The report also recommends that all new employees should receive information about disability rights in the workplace, regardless of whether the employer is aware of any disability. This would include information on requesting reasonable adjustments and accessing support or advocacy services.

In addition, the Committee has called for further research into several workplace issues affecting disabled workers, including the impact of flexible and remote working on productivity, the use of AI during recruitment processes, and the introduction of a right to paid time off for disability-related medical appointments.

The report also recommends that the proposed Equality (Race and Disability) Bill should require employers with more than 250 employees to report on the number of disabled people they employ, increasing transparency around disability representation in larger organisations.

The Committee further endorsed aspects of the Keep Britain Working Review, including proposals for a Healthy Working Lifecycle standard and Workplace Health Provision scheme. It recommended that occupational health support should form part of the scheme for small employers and urged the government to explore financial incentives to encourage smaller businesses to recruit and retain disabled workers.

Learning points for employers

Employers may wish to review their current reasonable adjustment processes and ensure requests are handled consistently, promptly, and with appropriate written records. Clear manager training on disability discrimination and reasonable adjustments remains important, particularly where decisions are being made about what is considered “reasonable”.

Organisations should also consider whether onboarding materials adequately explain workplace disability rights and support mechanisms. Larger employers may wish to begin reviewing workforce disability data collection practices in anticipation of possible future reporting obligations.

The report signals continued political focus on disability inclusion, workplace accessibility, and employer accountability, particularly in the context of wider employment law reform proposals.

For more information, please contact Khadija Khatun in our Employment team.