Level 2: Disability Confident Employer
Updated 22 April 2025
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Introduction
Disability Confident is creating a movement of change, encouraging employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain and develop disabled people. Being Disability Confident is a unique opportunity to lead the way in your community and show that you are a disability inclusive employer.
The Disability Confident scheme is designed as a continuous learning journey, encouraging employers like you to evolve and improve with every step. It’s not about achieving a static level of the scheme; it’s about embracing a mindset of growth and adaptation. Using the scheme resources, you’ll find yourself better equipped to nurture a workforce where every member feels valued and empowered to contribute their unique talents.
The three levels of the scheme are designed to support you on your Disability Confident journey. It might be that you have an interest in the scheme and are looking for more information on what the whole journey entails or you may already be a level 1 employer and looking to take that next step to become a level 2 employer. Wherever you are on your journey, this guide will help you take that next step.
The 3 levels are:
- Disability Confident Committed (Level 1)
- Disability Confident Employer (Level 2)
- Disability Confident Leader (Level 3)
Membership for a Disability Confident Employer is for three years. You must complete each level before moving on to the next and you are encouraged to progress to the next level (Disability Confident Leader – Level 3) as soon as you are ready which will re-start the three-year membership period.
If you have not already signed-up as a Disability Confident Committed employer you will find further information and guidance in the DC Committed (level 1) on How to sign up to the Disability Confident employer scheme.
More information
Mencap Good for Business - The benefits of employing people with a learning disability
Acas: UK workplace experts (video)
The Recruitment Industry Disability Initiative (RIDI) help recruiters and employers to become disability confident and offer more job opportunities to people with disabilities
Employing disabled people: Disability Confident and CIPD manager’s guide
CIPD / BDF joint guide on Disability Workforce Reporting
Getting started
So, what are the first steps?
Congratulations on taking this next step on your Disability Confident journey. Being Disability Confident should involve your whole business, small or large, and should have the support of business owners and/or senior leaders. It’s important to take a business-wide approach to becoming Disability Confident. No matter the size of your business, your collective effort and commitment is what will make the difference to your business. Your business owners and senior leaders should continue to lead on implementation of the Disability Confident principles and your whole organisation should be encouraged to show continued engagement with progressing and embedding your disability inclusive culture.
Step one
We would encourage you to:
- inform your team and senior managers about advancing in the Disability Confident journey and discuss its implications for your organisation with your colleagues
- read the guidance in this pack and, if you have one, share this with your Disability Confident champion, equality, diversity and inclusion experts or working group
Step two
- Familiarise yourself with the self-assessment process and decide who will take the lead in completing this for your organisation
- Plan a session with colleagues to discuss the self-assessment and think about the types of evidence you can use to complete it
- Work through the self-assessment with your colleagues highlighting things which you are already doing well, and how you can evidence this, and things you need to start doing in your organisation to meet the criteria for Level 2
- Plan how you will tackle the things you are not yet doing, or could do better, building an action plan to address these, and make sure each action has an owner to monitor progress
- Most outstanding actions should be completed before you apply for Level 2, however there may be some minor actions outstanding, but have a clear plan to address these soon
Step three
- Having completed your self-assessment go onto the Disability Confident website and review your contact details, this will take less than 10 minutes and confirm you have:
- completed the Disability Confident Employer self-assessment
- are fulfilling all the core actions to be a Disability Confident Employer
- are offering at least one activity to get the right people for your business and at least one activity to keep and develop your people
- If you don’t already work with Jobcentre Plus consider contacting them to discuss the opportunities you are providing for disabled people
- Regularly review your activities to ensure you are complying with the scheme criteria
- Set a goal to achieve Level 3 of the scheme within your three-year membership
Completing your Disability Confident Employer self-assessment
In signing up to be a Disability Confident Employer, you have agreed to carry out a self-assessment, testing your business against a set of statements about employing disabled people. This self-assessment sets a baseline, designed to enable you to focus on what your business is doing well at this stage and what additional steps you may need to take to comply with the Level 2 criteria.
Accreditation for a Disability Confident Employer is for three years. During this period, you should review your self-assessment each year and add evidence to it. If during that period, you progress to Disability Confident Leader then the three-year period will restart at the new level.
There is a template for you to record your evidence against each statement and you can access the template through our website Disability Confident: guidance for levels 1, 2 and 3 - GOV.UK
The self-assessment is grouped into two themes:
- Theme 1 – Getting the right people for your business
- Theme 2 – Keeping and developing your people
Within the two themes, you will need to provide evidence demonstrating how you are meeting the list of core actions. This will help you identify areas where additional work is needed and assist you in planning how to address them before applying for Level 2. You will also need to document which additional activities you offer and provide evidence for these. Remember, one activity per theme is the minimum requirement, but many Disability Confident employers undertake multiple activities to demonstrate their commitment to creating inclusive workplaces.
Completing the self-assessment should not be approached as a tick-box exercise. The activity described in your self-assessment is a comprehensive summary of all the initiatives your business is undertaking to foster an inclusive workplace. It presents an excellent opportunity to evaluate the progress your organisation is making towards inclusivity, while also highlighting best practices that can be shared across the business, with suppliers, and other employers within your networks.
Hints and tips for completing your self-assessment
The following guidance can be used to help you think about the ways you can evidence what your business is doing as you work through the self-assessment.
The guidance is broken down into four sections to match the self-assessment template starting with the core activity needed against each theme before covering the additional criteria.
Theme 1 – Getting the right people for your business
Core action 1: Actively attracting and recruiting disabled people to help fill your opportunities
How?
- Make a commitment to recruit and retain disabled people and ensure this is reflected in job adverts, for example, by including your Disability Confident badge. Use your Disability Confident badge on vacancy adverts to make sure potential applicants know you are an inclusive employer
- Jobcentre Plus has a range of recruitment services that can help you as an employer. You can contact the Employer Services Line using the online enquiry form or by phone on 0800 169 0178, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
- Find a Job is a free government service on which you can advertise your vacancies. Add your Disability Confident details to your account and your badge will be added to your adverts
- In Scotland visit Employability in Scotland.
- Work with and place job adverts in the disability press or on disability websites, such as:
- Disability Jobsite
- Embracing Future Potential
- Evenbreak
- RNIB
- Vercida
- Deaf Unity
- Patchwork Hub
- Your local disability rights organisation
- Run, support or participate in local disability jobs fairs (check with your local Jobcentre Plus) or targeted recruitment campaigns
More information
Range of communication channels
What is a disabled people’s user-led organisation? (video)
Recruitment and disabled people
Core Action 2: Providing a fully inclusive and accessible recruitment process
How?
- Review current recruitment processes and identify improvements which can be made to make them fully inclusive
- Ensure recruiters, line managers and external agencies have been trained in accessible recruitment practices
- Use your Disability Confident badge to make sure potential applicants know you are an inclusive employer
- Make job adverts accessible, for example, list only ‘essential’ job requirements, use straightforward language, avoid jargon and acronyms and include an equal opportunities statement, such as ‘We are committed to encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion among our workforce, and eliminating unlawful discrimination’
- Identify and address any barriers that may prevent or deter disabled people from applying for jobs
- Provide information in accessible formats including the job advert, job description, and all communications between the employer and the candidate. (for example, digitally accessible via screen readers, large print)
- Make sure physical interview and assessment locations are fully accessible
- Provide reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process, such as offering interview questions in advance where this could be appropriate
More information
Recruitment and disabled people
Inclusive recruitment: Guide for employers, CIPD
Accessible communication formats
Asking for information about disability during recruitment
Access to Work guide for employers
Wel-co.me accessibility app assists disabled customers to indicate assistance required
AbilityNet factsheet on WCAG 2.2 (web accessibility standards)
Core Action 3: Offer an interview to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for the job
How?
Encourage applications by offering an interview to an applicant who declares they have a disability. Disability Confident scheme members should ensure all applicants are asked as part of the recruitment process if they wish to apply under the Disability Confident scheme.
This does not mean that all disabled people are entitled to an interview. They must meet the minimum criteria for a job as defined by the employer.
The aim of this commitment is to encourage positive action, encouraging disabled people to apply for jobs and provide an opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent, and abilities at the interview stage.
An employer can take steps to help or encourage certain groups of people with different needs, or who are disadvantaged in some way, to access work or training. Positive Action is lawful under the Equality Act.
It is important to note that there may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all disabled people that meet the minimum criteria for the job. For example: in certain recruitment situations such as high number of applications, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people.
In these circumstances the employer could select the disabled candidates who best meet the minimum criteria for the job rather than all of those that meet the minimum criteria, as they would do for non-disabled applicants. This should be explained in the employer’s recruitment policies and job adverts.
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Generally speaking, ‘minimum criteria’ within a job selection process refers to the minimum qualities, skills, experience and/or qualifications that a candidate needs to demonstrate to be considered suitable to carry out the role, and progress to the first stage of selection
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Disability Confident employers should make it clear in their recruitment material that if a disabled applicant meets the minimum criteria for the job (as set out in the job-advert or job-specification) they may be given the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities at an interview (the format of which will be decided by the employer, for example face to face, online, telephone)
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If a scoring system is used to establish if an applicant has met the minimum requirements, the employer should ensure that this is clearly set out.
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Do not include non-essential requirements which could inadvertently exclude a disabled person
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Apply the commitment to all vacancies, internal and external, wherever possible, indicating clearly in the advert if the offer of an interview applies
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Provide an early opportunity in your application process for disabled people to indicate whether they need any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process
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Within the application form or CV (depending on the employers preferred recruitment process) the applicant must be able to demonstrate that they meet the minimum criteria for the job if they are requesting an interview under the Disability Confident scheme
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Consider whether the minimum criteria for the job could be met by providing reasonable adjustments
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Indicate in the interview and selection information whether feedback is available on request or not
More information
Employing disabled people and people with health conditions
Positive Action in the workplace
Core Action 4: Be flexible when assessing people so disabled job applicants have the best opportunity to demonstrate that they can do the job
How?
- Plan for, offer and make adjustments in every step of the recruitment process where required – for example, allowing neurodiverse candidates more time to complete assessments or by providing written material on coloured paper
- Make sure people involved in the interviewing process understand the Disability Confident commitments and know how to offer and make adjustments
- Offer extended or working interviews to enable disabled people with a learning disability to demonstrate their potential
- Avoid making decisions purely based on psychometric assessments
More information
EHRC Guidance - employing people, workplace adjustments
Reasonable adjustments are often straightforward (Acas guide)
Mental health adjustments - Reasonable adjustments at work - Acas
Core Action 5: Must proactively offer and make reasonable adjustments as required
How?
Employers have a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ in the workplace where a disabled person would otherwise be put at a substantial disadvantage compared with their colleagues. Employers should anticipate and provide reasonable adjustments for disabled people to comply with the law.
An employer failing to make reasonable adjustments for a disabled job applicant or employee is one of the most common types of disability discrimination.
What ‘reasonable’ means
What is reasonable depends on each situation. The employer must consider carefully if the adjustment:
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will remove or reduce the disadvantage – the employer should talk with the person and not make assumptions
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is practical to make
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is affordable
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could harm the health and safety of others
Adjustments
Certain aspects or conditions of a job or the workplace can cause a barrier for someone with a disability which can mean they are disadvantaged. Adjustments are changes that are made to the work environment or the way the work is carried out, so that someone with a disability can do their job more effectively and remove or reduce a barrier that someone is experiencing.
They should be considered at every stage of employment, from recruitment and induction to day-to-day work. Adjustments can include, for example:
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finding a different way to do something
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making changes to the workplace
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changing someone’s working arrangements
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providing equipment, services or support
Adjustments are an important factor in helping disabled employees to remain in work. It’s important to remember that:
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not all adjustments relate to the physical working environment, such as wheelchair ramps - other adjustments can be less tangible but just as important, such as changing work hours or increasing one-to-one supervision
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not all adjustments cost money or are difficult or time consuming to make
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adjustments can be made for anyone, and not just employees with a disability or health condition – for example, changing the working hours of someone who has caring responsibilities
More information
EHRC Guidance - employing people, workplace adjustments
Reasonable adjustments are often straightforward (Acas guide)
Interactive tool: Support with Employee Health and Disability service (Gov.UK)
Mental health adjustments - Reasonable adjustments at work - Acas
Core Action 6: Encourage suppliers and partner firms to be disability confident
How?
You may wish to think about whether your suppliers and partners reflect the values your organisation displays, and you may conclude that your suppliers and partners can also be more effective if they too are tapping into the talents that disabled people can bring.
Encourage your partners, suppliers and providers to demonstrate their commitment to being Disability Confident by signing-up to the scheme.
Consider setting clear performance indicators about disabled employment in contracts or frameworks for your supply chain and partners or creating a preferred suppliers webpage detailing preferences around inclusion.
Core Action 7: Ensure employees have appropriate disability equality awareness
How?
Disability equality training explores the concept of people being disabled by society’s barriers and attitudes, highlighting the role society plays in the removal of those barriers and in the changing of attitudes. The training may include customer care, etiquette and appropriate language for instance.
This should take into account the requirements of different roles.
- All employees need a general understanding of how attitudes, behaviours and environment can affect disabled people
- Staff carrying out recruitment activity need to be fully aware of how to make sure your recruitment process is fully accessible
- Expert support should be leveraged from HR managers for the hiring managers
- Managers and supervisors will need to understand how to support their disabled staff
More information
Disability Guide - employer handbook
Theme 1 – Getting the right people for your business - actions
Remember in the next section of the self-assessment template you should, as a minimum, be offering at least one of the activities listed below. The activities do not need to be ring-fenced for disabled people, but they should be open to them and wherever possible encouraged to apply.
Consider agreeing to provide as many activities as you can and that are sustainable within your organisation’s size.
Additional action 1: Provide work experience
Work experience is usually for a fixed period that a person spends with the business, when they can learn about working life and the working environment. Work experience positions can include:
- participating in daily tasks
- observing jobs
- completing brief assignments
- performing tasks independently
- communicating with workers
- receiving feedback
Work experience provides an opportunity for people to demonstrate their abilities and helps build the resilience and behaviours they will need to succeed.
A Disability Confident Employer will encourage disabled people to apply for all their work experience opportunities and support them when they do.
More information
Employer guides to work experience
Minimum wage: work experience and internships
Not just making tea: a guide to work experience
Additional action 2: Providing work trials
A work trial is a short period in work you can offer to a jobseeker. It’s a way for you both to see if the job is a good fit. It can be by agreement with Jobcentre Plus.
If this is agreed with Jobcentre Plus, an employer can offer a work trial if the potential job is for 16 hours or more a week and lasts for at least 13 weeks. The work trial would usually last no more than 5 days if the job is for less than 6 months It could be for no more than 30 days (and usually around 5 days) for jobs lasting 6 months or more.
A Disability Confident Employer will encourage disabled people to apply for all of their work trial opportunities and support them when they do.
More information
Additional action 3: Providing paid employment (permanent or fixed term)
A Disability Confident Employer will encourage disabled people to apply for all their vacancies and support them when they do. Employers use a variety of routes to advertise their vacancies, and Jobcentre Plus has a range of recruitment services that can help an employer seeking to recruit staff. An employer can get:
- recruitment advice, including specialist support for businesses
- help setting up work trials to give an opportunity to see potential recruits in action in the work environment
More information
Recruitment and disabled people
How an employer should support disabled people [ACAS]
Employing disabled workers and people with health conditions [FSB]
Sector-based work academies: employer guide
Additional action 4: Providing apprenticeships
These can be for new or current employees. An apprenticeship combines work with studying for a work-based qualification. A Disability Confident Employer will encourage disabled people to apply for all their apprenticeship vacancies and support them when they do.
Employers based in England may be able to get a grant or funding to employ an apprentice. Apprentices must be paid at least the minimum apprenticeship wage.
The apprentice must:
- work with experienced staff
- learn job-specific skills
- study for a work-based qualification during their working week, such as at a college or training organisation.
More information
Support for apprentices with a learning difficulty or disability
Additional action 5: Providing a traineeship
The last start on the standalone traineeship programme was on 31 July 2023. From 1 August 2023 delivery that incorporates the components of a traineeship can still be delivered as a study programme or funded by the adult education budget (now the adult skills fund).
Traineeships are designed to help young people who want to get an apprenticeship or job but don’t yet have appropriate skills or experience. A Disability Confident Employer will encourage disabled people to apply for any traineeship vacancies and support them when they do.
More information
Additional action 6: Providing paid internships or supported internships (or both)
A paid internship is a period of paid work experience between 1 and 4 months, aimed at college or university students and usually taking place during the summer. Typically, the intern will work full time and gain experience and basic knowledge about a particular business discipline. This valuable experience can be built upon during a placement year as well as in graduate employment. A Disability Confident Employer will encourage disabled people to apply any of their internship opportunities and support them when they do.
A supported internship is aimed at disabled people still in education who are seeking work experience and knowledge about a business discipline but whose disability is such that they need additional support, often including a support worker or work coach to help them in the workplace. Supported internships do require time and commitment to set up, so might be most appropriate for a larger employer who could offer several of them at once or in succession, sharing support costs and setting up time.
More information
Supported internships: guidance
RNIB in collaboration with Thomas Pocklington Trust offer an internship programme specifically for Interns with Sight Loss. Visit: Exciting Opportunity for Employers: Join the Get Set Progress Internship Programme! - Thomas Pocklington Trust
Additional action 7: Advertising vacancies and other opportunities through organisations and media aimed particularly at disabled people
This can help ensure the opportunities are seen by disabled people and that they can be confident that they will be supported if they apply for them. Appropriate organisations include:
- Evenbreak
- Disability Jobsite
- Work with a Visibly Better Employer, RNIB
- Vercida
- Scope
- Careers with Disabilities
- Deaf Unity
- Patchwork Hub
- Your local disability rights organisation
Additional action 8: Engaging with Jobcentre Plus, or local disabled people’s user led organisations (DPULOs) to access support when required (or both)
This includes:
- identifying and connecting with national local disabled people’s networks and organisations (or both)
- building links to specialist schools and colleges
- identifying pre-trained and supported talent, for example through supported apprenticeships and internships
- working with advocates
Disabled people’s user led organisations (DPULOs) are run by and for disabled people. DPULOs have an important role in:
- providing peer support in areas such as social care, financial services, employment and volunteering
- changing perceptions
- enabling disabled people to have a stronger voice in the local community
They provide advice on a wide range of topics to all disabled people, whatever their impairment. The government recognises the importance of DPULOs and encourages disabled people to use their local organisations.
More information
Additional action 9: Providing an environment that is inclusive and accessible for staff, clients and customers
Access is not only about meeting the needs of people with physical impairments. It is also about meeting the access needs of people with, for example, sensory impairments or learning disabilities. An inclusive environment works better for everybody, whether disabled or not.
Accommodating the needs of those customers, clients and service users who might be disabled can help you make sure that your business is accessible to everyone. It will also reinforce the commitment that disabled people are welcome in your business. In turn, this helps to attract applications from disabled people for vacancies or other opportunities you are offering.
Areas to consider can include:
- Technology
- Apps, software and business systems should conform to Level A and AA criteria as set out in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
- Voice control software
- Screen readers
- Accessible communication
- Hearing loops
- Providing captions
- Signage to assist disabled people
- Physical environment
- Accessible parking
- Door widths to accommodate wheelchairs
- Corridors should be wide enough for wheelchair and mobility aid users
- Lifts should be available for movement between floors, as well as staircases
More information
Centre for Accessible Environments
Access and Sustainability Advisory Service
Introduction to accessibility standards and training [BDF]
AbilityNet factsheet on WCAG 2.2 (web accessibility standards)
Additional action 10: Offering other innovative and effective approaches to encourage disabled people to apply for opportunities and supporting them when they do.
Your business may have developed other innovative and effective approaches beyond what we have set out here. If so, we would like to hear what you are doing. If appropriate, we could include details and case studies in future versions of this scheme, to help other employers.
Please email us at admin@disabilityconfident.dwp.gov.uk.
Theme 2 – Keeping and developing your people
Core Action 1: Promote a culture of being Disability Confident
How?
- Build a culture in your business where your employees feel safe to share any disability or long-term health condition, feeling confident they will be supported as necessary. There may be some conditions, such as mental health, which some staff may be particularly sensitive about sharing, and you should think particularly of ways in which you can create an open and supportive culture
- Communicate positive messages in company literature, statements and plans, and challenge any negative images or prejudicial statements
- Regularly consult with staff about their perceptions of issues, barriers or concerns, and report back on action taken to address these
- Consider providing a framework of people policies setting out your principles and actions to support the recruitment, retention and progression of disabled people or those with a health condition
- Sign the Mental Health at Work Commitment
- Encourage inclusion and diversity groups or similar to increase employee engagement around wellbeing, mental health and disability, which helps to embed a culture of disability confident
- Promote topical and awareness days related to Disability and health both internally with your employees and externally. Some examples of these include recognising: Dyslexia Awareness Week, Deaf Awareness Week, Time to Talk Day, Mental Health Awareness Day, World Menopause Day
More information
How your business can benefit from being disability confident
Diversity and Inclusion at Fujitsu, Disability Confident
Calendar of national campaigns, NHS Employers
Core Action 2: Support employees to manage their disabilities or health conditions
How?
- Encourage employees to be open and to discuss any access and support needs
- Make sure that employees know that, should they acquire a disability, or should an existing disability or health condition worsen, every effort will be made to enable them to continue in their current job or an alternative one
- Provide support for existing employees, for example, through occupational health sessions, offering flexible working patterns, offering home working
- Provide workplace adjustments as necessary to support staff.
- Discuss with the employee and specific requirements needed to return to work
- Making temporary or permanent adjustments to working patterns or job responsibilities for employees undergoing medical treatment
- Make the process clear, signpost it well and, where possible, have a centralised team that assists with decision making
- Ensure your commitment to supporting employees to manage their disabilities is included in company policies and staff communications
You can suggest to the employee that they use the Health Adjustment Passport to help provide their new manager with the information that they need to support them effectively. This is a helpful form that provides information about adjustments and can easily travel with your employee between roles.
More information
CIPD and MIND Supporting mental health at work
Mind - Mental Health at Work gateway
Musculoskeletal health in the workplace tool kit
Business in the Community Mental Health Toolkit for employers
Disability best practice [HSE]
Core Action 3: Ensure there are no barriers to the development and progression of disabled staff
How?
- Ensure disabled staff are fully included in team meetings and informal communications and that any communication support needed is available such as closed captions or hearing loops
- Set all meetings up to be recorded and have captioning from the off set, with set agendas, which is good for both non-disabled and disabled colleagues
- Encourage disabled staff to consider their aspirations and seek progression opportunities in the workplace, ensuring your processes are designed to support progression for all
- Consider collecting data on disability and the experiences of employees with disabilities and health conditions which can inform organisational practice and policies and help drive progress and change. Organisations can use the data to develop action plans that create positive change, whether using an existing framework or other suggested methods. Disclosing a disability to an employer is an individual decision, and there is no obligation on anybody to do so
- Regularly discuss training and development needs with all staff, and offer appropriate training support as necessary such as courses in alternative formats, coaching if necessary and accessible training venues
- Ensure there are no unintended barriers to progression, such as changes to location or travel arrangements that might limit inclusion
The linked guide explores three areas of equality good practice to help with this action:
- equality policies
- equality training
- monitoring
More information
Good equality practice for employers
EY talk about their approach to recruiting talented disabled people
Core Action 4: Ensure line managers are aware of how they can support staff who are sick or absent from work
How?
- Have a clear process for managing absence, apply it consistently and make sure all staff know about the process
- Consider separating sick leave from disability related leave when recording staff absences
- Ensure that all absent staff receive regular contact from their line manager, in appropriate formats and at an agreed frequency, to help them stay up to date on work developments to help them continue to feel connected to the workplace
- Ensure that when a staff member has recovered enough to return to work a support plan is in place where applicable. This might include temporary reductions in hours or changes to work patterns and any necessary workplace adjustments
- Where the employee is unable to continue in their current role, despite workplace adjustments, wherever possible offer suitable alternative roles
- Have a look at the Support with Employee Health and Disability online service which can help you support your employees and understand your legal requirements
- Provide specific training for managers on how to manage mental health for themselves and their team
- Provide practical wellbeing support for managers to support their team’s wellbeing, for example toolkits, conversation guides and learning resources
- Use an Occupational Health provider and consult them as required for people with long term or acute health condition
- HR Managers should provide tailored advice to Line Managers where appropriate
More information
Acas - Looking after your staff and your business
Support with employee health and disability – GOV.UK
Templates for employers [Acas]
Core Action 5: Value and listen to feedback from disabled staff
How?
- Ensure there are opportunities for staff feedback, whether through formal staff surveys and forums or informally, and encourage disabled staff to participate and share their experiences
- Have a group for disabled people that meets regularly represented by people from all departments and the senior leadership team
- Regularly report back on action taken to address issues raised by disabled staff and monitor the effectiveness of these actions
- Ensure line managers encourage disabled staff to speak openly about their views, needs and ambitions in staff reviews, and act appropriately on the points raised
- Collect metrics at regular intervals so that employees can give an insight into their thinking about issues ranging from how engaged they feel at work, the state of their mental health, the quality of their management and their attitudes towards inclusion and wellbeing at work
Core Action 6: Review your Disability Confident Employer self-assessment regularly
How?
A Disability Confident Employer will be looking to continually improve and take account of changing advice and guidance. Regularly reviewing (minimum annually) your self-assessment will help with this process.
Theme 2 – Keeping and developing your people - actions
Remember in the next section of the self-assessment template you should, as a minimum, be offering at least one of the activities listed below.
Additional action 1: Provide mentoring, coaching, buddying and/or other support networks for staff
- Mentoring is a process where a more experienced colleague will share their knowledge or their approach to tasks with a less experienced colleague to help them to develop within their role
- Coaching is where a Coach will use questioning techniques to support an individual to unpick challenges or uncertainties they might be facing. A coach doesn’t need to have gone through the same experiences, but they will have the skills to help the individual explore their options and make an action plan
- Buddying is where a nominated colleague can provide support, guidance and training and promote confidence when a member of staff moves to a new working environment. This is often quite an informal arrangement
- Providing access to support networks can be a good way of helping disabled staff or those with health conditions to develop skills, build their confidence and connect with a diverse range of colleagues
- Some companies also encourage staff to set up their own informal support networks, including virtual networks using email and messaging services
More information
Coaching and mentoring factsheet [CIPD]
Additional action 2: Including disability awareness equality training in our induction process
Ensuring that new staff and people moving posts receive the appropriate level of disability equality training, ensuring that they can identify and support colleagues and team members with disabilities and support needs. This will be particularly important for staff taking online management responsibilities.
More information
Equality diversity and inclusion [CIPD]
Additional action 3: Guiding staff to information and advice on health conditions
There are many different disabilities and health conditions, and each of them influence how an organisation and an individual’s manager should respond to support employees in the workplace.
Guiding staff to information on health and well-being in the workplace can help them identify the symptoms and know how to support their team members and colleagues.
Information on some specific health conditions is available in the Disability Confident CIPD Manager’s Guide - Supporting Specific Disabilities and Long-Term Health Conditions in the Workplace. For further information please see the links below.
More information
The following are organisations which can provide support and information on disabilities and health conditions:
Alzheimer’s / dementia – Alzheimer’s Society
Arthritis – Versus Arthritis
Autism – Autism Alliance UK, Autism Plus and The National Autistic Society
Back-related pain – BackCare
Diabetes – Diabetes UK
Dyslexia – Dyslexia Action and British Dyslexia Association
Dyspraxia – Dyspraxia Foundation
Epilepsy – Epilepsy Action
Deaf and hard of hearing – Action on Hearing Loss, British Deaf Association, Deaf Unity – Preparing deaf people for success, and UK Council on Deafness
Heart disease – British Heart Foundation
Learning disabilities – British Institute of Learning Disabilities and Mencap
Mental health – Mind, Rethink Mental Illness, and SANE
Multiple sclerosis – Multiple Sclerosis Society
Muscular dystrophy – Muscular Dystrophy UK
Speech impairment – The British Stammering Association
Spinal injuries – Spinal Injuries Association
Strokes – Stroke Association
Visual impairment – RNIB, Employers - make your workplace more accessible
Additional action 4: Providing occupational health services if required
An occupational health service can provide support for existing employees who develop an impairment/condition or experience health problems. This can be done internally, for example through occupational health sessions, or might be done through an external provider. Access to Work may be able to offer advice and contribute to the costs of this.
More information
NHS Occupational Health Services
Support with employee health and disability – GOV.UK
Additional action 5: Identify and share good practice
Benefits of this activity are that:
- Demonstrate leadership by sharing examples of your activities with your business networks and the wider business community. This could support others in their Disability Confident initiatives
- Sharing publicly what you do well can help attract disabled talent that you might otherwise have missed
- Sharing case studies can help boost morale and inspire current employees, fostering a more supportive and inclusive workplace culture
- It can also assist in attracting disabled people to apply for vacancies by:
- Demonstrating Commitment to Inclusion: Showcasing real-life examples of support for disabled employees highlights your organization’s dedication to creating an inclusive work environment
- Building Trust and Credibility: Potential candidates can see tangible proof of your commitment to diversity and inclusion, making them more likely to trust your organisation
- Encouraging Applications: Disabled job seekers may feel more confident applying to a company that has a proven track record of supporting employees with disabilities
- Enhancing Employer Brand: Positive case studies can enhance your reputation as an employer of choice for disabled individuals, attracting a broader talent pool
- Educating and Raising Awareness: These stories can educate others about the challenges and successes of disabled employees, promoting a more understanding and supportive work environment
Additional action 6: Provide human resource managers, or colleagues completing your human resource activity, with specific Disability Confident training
Giving managers and people involved in human resources (including any recruitment agencies acting on behalf of the organisation) specific and continuing training to make sure the organisation is following current best practice in supporting disabled people.
What happens next?
To apply for Disability Confident Level 2 you will need your Disability Confident reference number, which is on your certificate, it starts with DCS, followed by six digits.
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Use the update Disability Confident status form to make changes to your membership
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After entering your Disability Confident number an email will be sent to your primary and alternative contact email addresses
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Click on update your Disability Confident details. This link will expire in one hour
- You can then confirm details of your self-assessment
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You will, optionally, be asked to confirm if you are employing disabled people when completing the form. There is currently no requirement to employ disabled people as part of Disability Confident Employer (level 2) membership
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Click confirm details to submit your changes
- We will review your changes and contact you if we have any questions. You will receive an email confirmation once your changes have been accepted. This may take up to 10 working days
If you can’t find your Disability Confident reference number, please email us at dwp.disabilityconfident@dwp.gov.uk.
Remember – your evidence template is for your records and doesn’t need to be sent to us.
In return we will send you:
- a confirmation email
- a certificate in recognition of your achievement
- a Disability Confident Employer badge that you can use in your own business stationery and communication material for the next 3 years.
As a Disability Confident Employer, we will include your business name, town and DC status (which level you are at) in a list of all businesses signed-up to the scheme on our DC website.
Next steps: Progressing on your Disability Confident Journey
To progress on your Disability Confident journey, we have provided some initial steps to help you to comply with your scheme commitments and progress to the next level of the scheme – Disability Confident Leader:
- Review your disability confident self-assessment and update your evidence against each of the descriptors. This should be done annually
- Consider undertaking an internal or critical friend challenge against your self-assessment and your readiness to progress to the next level
- Share case-study examples of best practice, particularly around the employment of disabled people with other employers and providers, encouraging them to start or progress through their own Disability Confident journey
- Celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, encouraging all employees to participate and show solidarity with the Disabled Community
- Consider the Voluntary Reporting Framework and begin to collect disability workforce data
Annex 1: Checking or updating your Disability Confident details
It is important to keep your details up to date and tell us if any of your details change or you discover they are incorrect.
You can review and update your account information (including providing additional contacts) and review your disability confident commitments.
You should tell us about changes to your:
- Named contact
- Email address
- Telephone number
- Business name
- Business address and postcode
Also tell us if your business has ceased trading.
When to let us know about a change
You should make any changes to your details as soon as you can.
Who can make the change
Changes can only be made by the primary or alternative business contact who is registered with the scheme. If you don’t know who that was or they have left the business, then you will need to follow the instructions under Other ways to change your details.
How to make a change
To make a change you will need your Disability Confident reference number, which is on your certificate. It starts with DCS, followed by six digits.
- Use the update your Disability Confident details form to check or make changes to your membership
- After entering your Disability Confident number an email will be sent to your primary and alternative contact email addresses
- Click on update your Disability Confident details. This link will expire in one hour
- You can then check the details we hold for your business
- You can then use the change links to update your details
- Click confirm details to submit your changes
- We will review your changes and contact you if we have any questions. You will receive an email confirmation once your changes have been accepted. This may take up to 10 working days
Other ways to change your details
If you are not able to use the form, do not know your Disability Confident reference number or need to tell us your business is merging or ceasing trading, you can report these changes by emailing disabilityconfident.scheme@dwp.gov.uk.
Include details of what has changed. For example, your new telephone number or email address.
To help us trace your records, include in the email your:
- Disability Confident reference number, if you know it (this begins with DCS0)
- Business name
- Postcode