Plans to reform Disability Confident Scheme ‘much-needed’, says Business Disability Forum

Business Disability Forum (BDF) has welcomed Government plans to create a more robust and evidence-based Disability Confident Scheme announced today.  

As the leading business and disability inclusion membership organisation, BDF has been advocating for widescale reform of the employers’ scheme [DOCX, 144.90 KB] to ensure it delivers positive and tangible work opportunities for disabled people, informed by its ongoing policy and research work on the Disability Confident Scheme.

BDF’s CEO, Diane Lightfoot, is also Vice-chair of the Disability Confident Business Group, which brings together Disability Confident employers from a range of sectors and industries to share good practice. 

Speaking about the reforms announced today, Diane said: 

“In concept, the Disability Confident Scheme is world-leading, but, in practice, there is huge variation in how it is applied and how employers are checked and verified. Business Disability Forum has long called for an overhaul of the scheme to resolve these issues and to make it effective in increasing the number of disabled people in employment. 1 in 4 people in the UK has a disability, yet the number of disabled people in work remains woefully low and has moved little since the introduction of the scheme in November 2016. 

“The reforms to the Disability Confident Scheme announced today are welcomed and much needed. We are pleased to see that the Government has taken on board many of our recommendations to help create a scheme that is more robust and consistent and whereby employers are required to evidence the progress they have made in recruiting and retaining disabled employees. 

“We look forward to seeing more detail on the planned changes and to working with employers and the Government to ensure the Disability Confident Scheme is an effective tool for shifting the dial on disability employment.”

ENDS