Introduction to Disability Confident Scheme

Introduction to Disability Confident Scheme

What is the Disability Confident Scheme?

The Disability Confident Scheme is a UK Government initiative which was launched in November 2016. 

It is a voluntary scheme, and it offers free sign-up, resources and names the organisations that have signed up on its website. 

The scheme has been designed to work for all sizes of organisations, from those employing at least one person to the large global employers. 

Aims of the Disability Confident scheme

Disability Confident is a government scheme that aims to: 

• engage and encourage employers to become more confident so they recruit and retain disabled people, 

• increase understanding of disability and the benefits of employing or retaining disabled people, 

• increase the number of employers taking action to be Disability Confident, 

• make a substantial contribution towards halving the disability employment gap. 

You can find out more about the aims and objectives on the Department for Work and Pensions’ website. 

How does the Disability Confident scheme work?

The scheme has three levels.  

The three levels are: 

1. Disability Confident Committed – sign up and commit to the scheme, 

2. Disability Confident Employer – self assessment, 

3. Disability Confident Leader – externally validated submission. 

Every organisation has to start on Level 1. You must complete each level before moving onto the next one. Organisations have three years to complete each level before moving up or re-registering to remain where they are. 

Watch our video explaining the Disability Confident scheme below.

Why should organisations participate in the Disability Confident scheme?

• 16 per cent of the global population – 1 in 7 people, over 1.3 billion globally – have a significant disability (according to the World Health Organisation). 

• In the UK, nearly one in four of the working-age population are classed as disabled (according to 2024 UK government statistics). According to the same statistics: 
  • 36 per cent of the working-age population report having a long-term health condition. 
  • 23 per cent of the working-age population are classed as disabled. 
• Our Great Big Workplace Adjustments Survey uncovered some of the attitudes among disabled employees:
  • 62 per cent want to be promoted to a more senior and higher paid role in their current organisation.
  • 45 per cent want the same in a different organisation.
  • 28 per cent want to leave their current employer because they don’t feel they have been treated well.
  • 18 per cent are very satisfied with their current work situation.

This means that you will already have disabled people working in your organisation, and there will be some people who will develop a disability during their employment with you.  Are they currently able to thrive and deliver their best for the organisation? 

Some people may not feel comfortable or confident of support if they tell you about their disability, and this could mean that they are: 

• not succeeding at work as much as they would like to, 

• not able to develop their career, 

• looking to work for a competitor that will support them, 

• having it adversely affect their health, wellbeing and home life, 

• having more absences to cope. 

The Disability Confident Scheme will help you: 

• financially. According to a study by Boston Consulting Group, organisations with more diverse workforces have 19 per cent higher revenues because they are more innovative. 

• with productivity. Hiring more disabled employees can help create more diverse workforces, which are more innovative and productive. 

• improve your brand image. Being known as an inclusive employer can benefit your brand due to recognition from other organisations, customers and clients, the wider community, and your own employees. 

• recruit more talent. If you are not trying to recruit disabled people, then you are missing out on a significant talent pool. 

Our resource, ‘Why recruiting disabled people matters,’ has more information about the benefits of a diverse workforce. 

Making the business case

We have created a presentation on the benefits of participating in the Disability Confident scheme, which you can download below and share with senior leaders and other internal stakeholders.