A better understanding of disability is key factor in improving inclusion, new BDF research finds
A better understanding of disability is a key factor in improving the experiences of disabled people in the workplace and as consumers, according to new research published today (10 December) by Business Disability Forum (BDF).
Based on an Opinium poll of 1,073 disabled adults in the UK, the research shows that:
- Almost half (47%) of disabled people in work or looking for work believe it is harder for them to hold down a job due to their disability or health conditions. A similar number (46%) believe it is harder for them to progress in their careers. Slightly fewer said it was harder for them to look for jobs (43%) and attend interviews (43%).
- Three in 10 (30%) of all disabled people surveyed believe it is harder for them to find and buy products or services that meet their needs compared to someone without a disability. While one in five (22%) say they find it harder to access good customer service compared to someone without a disability.
- Over a third (37%) of all disabled people felt that a better understanding of disability and how it affects people’s needs is a key factor in improving their consumer experience. Whilst 4 in 10 (40%) of disabled people in work or looking for work felt better understanding would improve their workplace experience.
Diane Lightfoot, CEO of Business Disability Forum, said:
“Employers and businesses that want to improve inclusion need to ensure that staff have a good understanding of disability and how it impacts on disabled people as employees and consumers.
“In the workplace, this means senior leaders making sure HR teams and line managers are trained to understand the barriers that disabled people can commonly face and a good understanding of the workplace adjustments available.
“As consumers, disabled people need products and services that have been designed with their needs in mind as well as information about these products that is readily available. A product may be brilliantly accessible – but if you don’t tell your customers that, or they can’t find the information they need, they won’t buy it.
“With 1 in 4 people in the UK having a disability, it is in the interest of all businesses to recognise the value that disabled people bring as employees and consumers.”
Improving disabled people’s experiences
In the research, disabled people said the following would improve their customer experience:
- Improved understanding of disability amongst staff and how it affects my needs as a customer (37%).
- Easier access to assistance when needed (29%).
- Companies offering different ways to contact customer services (21%).
Disabled respondents in work or looking for work said the following would improve their workplace experience:
- Workplace adjustments. More flexible working options (46%).
- Better access to needed adjustments (23%).
- A better understanding from employers of their disability or long-term condition (40%).
- Employers having a more positive attitude towards employing disabled people (25%).
- Workplaces having a more disability inclusive culture (22%).
Inclusion in practice
Understanding what inclusive practice looks like in the workplace and customer space can be difficult. To help make inclusion more tangible, Business Disability Forum hosts its annual Disability Smart Impact Awards to showcase and share real life examples of business practice that have made a difference to the experiences of disabled people.
Recent workplace winners included Ofgem for pioneering the first digital workplace adjustments passport in the Civil Service, Inkfire for their flexible working framework and Enterprise East Group CIC for their placement and training scheme for disabled jobseekers.
Winners in the customer space included Alexandra Park and Palace for turning their Victorian Grade 2-listed building into a hub of accessibility for all visitors, and Unilever for making their packaging accessible through a new scanning technology and accessible QR code that can be scanned from a distance and voices the information written on packs.
The 2026 awards are now open for entries. Go to Business Disability Forum’s awards page to find out more.
ENDS
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Notes to editors
The research
The Research was conducted by Opinium Research amongst a sample of 1,073 disabled adults between 11-17th November 2025. 420 of the disabled adults identified themselves as in work or looking for work. Opinium is an award-winning strategic insight agency built on the belief that in a world of uncertainty and complexity, success depends on the ability to stay on pulse of what people think, feel and do.