Disability inclusion in recruitment depends on access and participation. Employers need to examine the process people must navigate, rather than rely on a statement that everyone is welcome.
A new Department for Work and Pensions commissioned expert panel report, published on 2 October 2026, recommends accessible job descriptions and interviews, assistive technology, strengths based assessment and clear communication about support.
Begin with the vacancy. Is the essential criteria list genuinely essential? Does the advert explain the work, selection stages and how to request an adjustment? Can candidates access the information provided in advance? At assessment, are instructions clear, time limits justified and adjustments agreed before the event? After each stage, record whether the adjustment was delivered and whether the process changed.
Do not assume every disabled or neurodivergent candidate needs the same support, or that disclosure will happen early. Offer a clear route to discuss adjustments, protect personal information and ask only for information needed to arrange them. In Great Britain, employers must meet existing legal duties, including reasonable adjustments where required.
Track requests, fulfilment, withdrawals and stage outcomes where data collection is lawful and proportionate. Interpret small numbers cautiously. A higher application count cannot prove barriers are gone; a low count cannot identify the cause.
Flexible work can matter to a wide range of candidates, not one group alone. Employers can examine whether job design, hours and location unnecessarily narrow who can apply.
Ask candidates for feedback on clarity, access and adjustments after each selection stage where possible.
Disability Jobsite can be considered as an additional specialist route for a vacancy, alongside the employer’s ATS and other channels. The channel should support a test with a clear audience, record and review.
Could you show, for a recent vacancy, which access barriers you checked and whether agreed adjustments were delivered?
