Our first policy focused conference Disability and Business: What’s new in Government policy? kindly hosted by PwC UK, took place on 12 February 2026. The event explored recent policy announcements and developments related to disability inclusion that provide both opportunities and challenges for business.
Led by Angela Matthews, our Director of Public Policy and Research and our CEO, Diane Lightfoot, this hybrid, half-day event was designed for anyone working in disability inclusion, to better understand what developments in Government policy for disability mean for business, and how they can best support their disabled employees and customers.
Sarah Minor-Massy, Head of Inclusion, Engagement and Culture, PwC UK shared PwC UK’s commitment to promoting a culture where disabled and neurodivergent people and those with long-term conditions are included, are enabled to thrive, and feel like they belong. Sarah outlined PwC UK’s three areas of focus for disability inclusion: leadership accountability, opportunities for all to reduce barriers and drive equitable outcomes, and a representative workforce that mirrors the rich diversity of their clients and the markets they serve.
Angela Matthews, Director of Public Policy, Business Disability Forum distilled everything new in disability policy and law and what it all means for business. Her presentation touched on The Milburn Review, NHS Ten Year Plan, Pathways to Work, Access to Work, The Keep Britain Working review, the Equality (Race and Disability) Bill on disability pay gap reporting, Equality Law and the Employment Rights Act. Ending with a ‘to do’ list for BDF members:
- How will you reorganise your employee adjustments support so that referring into Access to Work is not usual process but is an exceptional circumstance?
- How does your resourcing strategy match up with those who are struggling to enter and move up/around the workplace the most (16-25 year olds, people getting their first job, returners)?
- Given upcoming data reporting requirements, how will you ensure that you are not reporting for the sake of reporting but that you use that data to transform your employees’ experience of work?
A policy ‘jargon buster’ and overview of disability workforce and pay gap reporting and The Employee Rights Act 2025 were shared with attendees and can be downloaded below:
Keith Roberts, Deputy Director, Disability and Work Opportunities Division, DWP spoke to Diane Lightfoot, CEO, Business Disability Forum about the DWP’s proposed reforms to the Disability Confident Scheme to boost workplace standards for disabled people.
The event closed with a passionate panel of experts sharing their perspectives on the Employee Rights Act 2025 and its impact on recruitment and workplace experiences. Why do we need it and what do employers need to do?
Julie Dennis, Head of Inclusive Workplaces Strategy & Policy, Acas explained how employers can prepare for changes, while Hamish Shah, Policy and External Affairs Manager, Chartered Management Institute shared how organisations, especially large organisations, should be equipping their managers with all the information they need to comply with the Act. Roxanne Steel, Head of Training and Consultancy, Evenbreak provided insight into the recruitment stage, what candidates regularly ask about and what can make the biggest difference to candidates.
Recordings of all the conference sessions are available to Members and Partners on our Knowledge Hub.
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