Employment prospects for neurodiverse people set to be boosted with launch of new expert panel
Source: gov.uk (2025-01-30)

People who are neurodiverse will benefit from better employment prospects and more inclusive workplaces thanks to the work and advice of a new expert panel launched today [Wednesday 29 January].

- An independent panel of academics with expertise and experiences of neurodiversity will advise government on improving job chances for neurodiverse people
- Just 31% of people with a neurodiversity condition in employment compared to 54.7% of disabled people overall
- Panel launch is part of the government’s Plan for Change to support more people into work, boost living standards and grow the economy
The panel – headed up by Professor Amanda Kirby and comprising of leading academics in the neurodiversity field - will develop recommendations for ministers this summer, as part of the government’s Plan for Change, which will put money back into people’s pockets, boost living standards, and drive economic growth.

The latest employment figures demonstrate the stark reality for many, with the employment rate for disabled people with autism at 31% compared to 54.7% for all disabled people – highlighting a significant gap for some neurodiverse people.

The work of the panel will focus on what actions employers can take to foster a more inclusive workplace but also what actions the government can introduce to break down barriers to opportunity for people with a neurodiverse condition, such as autism.

Minister for Social Security and Disability, Sir Stephen Timms, said:

For too long disabled people and those with a neurodiversity condition have been left behind, ignored, and not given the support they need to get into work.

As part of our Plan for Change, we will turn this around, and with the expertise of these leading academics we will achieve our mission of supporting neurodivergent people into the workplace and reaching our 80% employment rate ambition.

Building on and broadening previous neurodiversity work, the panel met for the first time to begin work on supporting the Government’s drive to improve the employment experiences of neurodivergent people.

Chair of the Academic Panel, Professor Amanda Kirby, said:

I am delighted to chair this panel in what I see is an important and essential piece of work considering how we can drive forward neuroinclusive practices in workplaces to maximise the potential of all and make this become ‘business as usual’

This panel follows the launch of the Keep Britain Working review, led by Sir Charlie Mayfield, to explore how businesses and government can collaborate to unlock disabled talent.

The latest figures show the disability inactivity rate was 41.7% in Q3 2024, compared to 14.7% for non-disabled people. Improving the employment prospect of disabled people and helping them achieve independence is at the heart of the government’s health and disability reforms.

Building on our Get Britain Working White Paper, the government will bring forward proposals in the spring to reform the welfare system to help people who can work secure employment.

The government will work closely with charities, disabled people and people with health conditions to ensure their voices are at the centre of any policy changes which affect them and to move beyond a binary system of fit or not fit to work.