Guidance

Level 2: Disability Confident Employer

Updated 12 July 2024

This guidance explains how to become a Disability Confident Employer at level 2 of the Disability Confident scheme.

Ministerial foreword

Thank you for taking this step on your Disability Confident journey. Disability Confident can help you recruit, retain and develop disabled people who will help your business to succeed. The Disability Confident badge will also show disabled people that you recognise the value they can bring to your business - putting you ahead in the search for talent.

Every business trying to stay ahead of their competitors should aim to take advantage of the huge amount of talent disabled people can bring. I say that as an employer myself, not just as a Minister. Before I became an MP, my own business benefited from the confidence to recruit disabled people, and the confidence, where necessary, to make often small changes to enable them to thrive at work.

Wherever there is a barrier, Government is absolutely committed to removing it. We want a system that works for everyone, including small businesses that are the backbone of our economy. That is why Disability Confident is so important. It was deliberately designed to be easy for small businesses to access at level 1 and 2, whilst being flexible enough to also help the very biggest businesses to improve.

With disabled employment at an all-time high we are heading in the right direction, but we are ambitious to do more. With your help we can ensure that every disabled person has the opportunity to succeed at work and every business has the opportunity to prosper.

Minister of State for Disabled People, Health and Work

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 you might just discover someone your business cannot do without.

It was developed by employers’ and disabled people’s representatives to make it rigorous but easily accessible – particularly for smaller businesses.

The scheme is voluntary and access to the guidance, self-assessments and resources is completely free. The 3 levels are designed to support you on your Disability Confident journey. The 3 levels are:

• Disability Confident Committed employer (Level 1)
• Disability Confident Employer (Level 2)
• Disability Confident Leader (Level 3)

You must complete each level before moving on to the next.

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) pack.

Getting started

To help you progress through the Disability Confident scheme we have provided a wide range of guidance and support. We have also added case studies and videos to bring the Disability Confident journey to life.

We will continually add to and update the resources behind them. We are always interested in material that employers have found helpful in their own Disability Confident journey.

Becoming a Disability Confident Employer

You will have already signed up as a Disability Confident Committed employer and the next part of your journey continues with:

• reading the guidance in this Employer pack
• completing your self-assessment and evidence template (see Annex A)
• confirming that you have done so and informing us of the actions you are agreeing to undertake on our website You will find further information and guidance on what to do in What happens next.

What’s in it for business?

Realising the potential of disabled people

Many employers are recognising the talents disabled people bring.

Disabled people are a hugely diverse group of people, with many amazing skills and experience.

Employers that look at disabled people in terms of having valuable skills (employing people who think differently) and qualities that their organisations need, and focus on accessing diverse talent as a core business activity could get that competitive edge that’s key in business. This can lead to a very positive impact on the business and potentially on the bottom line profit.

Missing out on the spending power of disabled people

The spending power of disabled people and their families is estimated at £249 billion a year (Family Resources Survey 2014/15). This figure is often referred to as the Purple Pound. As the population ages and the number of disabled people increase this figure will only increase. A good business will reflect their consumer base in their workforce. 17.5% of the UK adult population have a disability and having disabled staff can help to understand and meet their needs

Reduced staff turnover

The costs to business of not holding on to staff can be considerable. For example, loss of productivity up to and after the employee leaves, administration costs associated with them leaving (returning working items PC, phone, exit interviews, closure of IT accounts, removal from pay system), producing job adverts, advertising vacancies, interviewing candidates and planning for and providing the necessary induction and training to get them started and doing the job.

Around 83% of disabled people acquire their impairment during their working lives. If a member of your staff acquire a disability while in your employment it will be much better for your business if you can provide the support they need to stay in work and continue applying their skills, experience and energy rather than having to start all over again with someone else.

Recruiting from the widest possible pool of talent

Employing disabled people is not an act of charity, it’s a reflection of a business that strives to be inclusive of everyone, wants to tap into skills and experience wherever they are found and supports everyone to give their best, ultimately benefitting the business.

Listen to Employers tips for being a Disability Confident Employer (video)

Level 2 explained

To take the next step on your Disability Confident journey – moving from being Disability Confident Committed (Level 1) to Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) - you need to carry out a self-assessment, testing your business against a set of statements about employing disabled people. For further information and sources of advice and guidance on each of these is outlined below and is also available on the DC website. There is a template at Annex A for you to record your evidence against each statement.

This self-assessment is designed to enable you to focus on what your business is doing and what additional steps you may need to take. It is about actions, not words.

Accreditation for a Disability Confident Employer lasts for 3 years. If during that period, you progress to Disability Confident Leader then the 3-year period will restart at the new level. If you reach the end of the 3-year period without progressing, you will be able to complete a new self-assessment and renew your accreditation.

The self-assessment is grouped into two themes:

• Theme 1 – Getting the right people for your business

• Theme 2 – Keeping and developing your people

For each of the two themes you’ll need to agree to take all of the actions set out in the core actions list and at least one action from the activity list. This should not be treated as a tick box exercise, the bullet points in each item should be seen as prompts to the type of real actions you should be undertaking, commensurate to the size of your business.

Throughout this pack the word ‘Must’ indicates that it is a legal requirement. For example, an employer ‘Must’ make reasonable adjustments for a disabled employee who has indicated that he/she wants them.

The word ‘Should’ indicates that we see the actions as the good practice you should be following to be a Disability Confident Employer.

The ‘How’ are examples of what you could be doing to be a Disability Confident Employer. These are not exhaustive. You may well have other examples of what you are doing and should record these on your evidence template. See Annex A.

Use the template to record your evidence, further actions or comments for consideration as you go through your self-assessment. This will also help you if you want to become a Disability Confident Leader and have your self-assessment validated. You can also download a copy of this template from the DC website.

Theme 1 – Getting the right people for your business – core actions

As a Disability Confident Employer your business should be:

1. Actively attracting and recruiting disabled people to help fill your opportunities (including jobs, apprenticeships, internships, work experience)

How

By:

• making a commitment to recruit and retain disabled people and ensuring this is reflected in job adverts, at all levels
• ensuring other opportunities that might lead to employment, such as apprenticeships or internships, are available to disabled people
• using your Disability Confident badge in your job adverts to ensure potential applicants know you are an inclusive employer (for example, on the Find a Job website, you can display your badge on adverts and jobseekers can use Disability Confident as a job search criteria)
• running, supporting or participating in local disability jobs fairs or targeted recruitment campaigns – contact your local Jobcentre Plus to see if there are any being organised near you
• developing links with Jobcentre Plus and accessing government resources (for example, Work and Health Programme providers (If you’re in Scotland contact Fair Start Scotland) to advertise your jobs and attract disabled people to apply for opportunities

• working with and placing job adverts in the disability press or on disability websites, such as:

• Disability Jobsite
• Embracing Future Potential
• Evenbreak
• RNIB
• Vercida
• your local disability rights organisation

More information

Recruitment and disabled people

Leonard Cheshire – Change100 for businesses case study (video)

2. Providing a fully inclusive and accessible recruitment process

How

By:

• identifying and addressing any barriers that may prevent or deter disabled people from applying for jobs, including where you advertise, the words you use and how people can apply
• using your Disability Confident badge to make sure potential applicants know you are an inclusive employer
• making sure online or offline processes are fully accessible – for example, providing a named contact, telephone number and email for applicants to request support or ask questions
• getting your recruitment process tested by disabled people, and if there is a barrier either removing it or providing an alternative way to apply
• providing a short but accurate job description that clearly sets out what the jobholder will be required to achieve, accepting there are different ways to achieve the same objective
• making sure all documentation is available in different formats, if required (written and online)
• accepting job applications in a variety of formats
• making sure people involved in the recruitment process are conversant with Disability Confident and know how to support disabled applicants.

More information

Disability Confident and CIPD: guide for line managers on employing people with a disability or health condition

Recruitment and disabled people

Business Disability Forum

Accessible communication formats

Recruiting disabled talent (video)

Guidance on finding talent – top tips

3. Offering an interview to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for the job

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.

How

By offering an interview to an applicant who declares they have a disability this does not mean that all disabled people are entitled to an interview. They must meet the minimum criteria (sometimes shown as “desirable skills”) for a job as defined by the employer.

It is important to note that there may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for the job. In certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, 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.

Employing disabled people and people with health conditions

Positive Action - What do I need to know

Disability Rights UK - Permitted work factsheet

4. Being flexible when assessing people so disabled job applicants have the best opportunity to demonstrate that they can do the job

How

By:

• planning for, and making adjustments to, the assessment and interview process – for example, small things such as allowing candidates to complete a written test using a computer can make a big difference
• offering extended or working interviews to enable disabled people to demonstrate their potential
• making sure people involved in the interviewing process understand the Disability Confident commitment and know how to offer and make adjustments – for example, a later interview time that takes account of the longer journey time a disabled person may need.

More information

Individuals with hidden impairments

5. Must proactively offer and make reasonable adjustments as required

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.

Whether or not an adjustment has to be made depends on how ‘reasonable’ it is - and that’s something that will hinge on the individual circumstances of each case, and the resources of the employer. What is seen as reasonable for a large multi-national company might not be seen as reasonable for a very small employer.

Please note this is general advice only and cannot by its nature deal with all circumstances. It is always best to seek your own, independent legal advice if you are unsure of your obligations in specific circumstances.

How

Making workplace adjustments (such as changes to working patterns, adaptations to premises or equipment and provision of support packages) will ensure disabled workers are not disadvantaged when applying for and doing their jobs. This includes contract workers, trainees, apprentices and business partners.

Many adjustments are straightforward and easy to carry out - particularly if there’s been a little lateral thinking about how an accommodation can be reached. Often these adjustments will cost nothing or very little.

A straightforward, but sometimes overlooked adjustment is to reallocate tasks that a disabled person may find difficult, such as phone- answering for people with hearing loss.

The Access to Work scheme may be able to provide assessment and advice and can provide financial assistance if there are extra costs involved.

More information

Reasonable adjustments are often straightforward (Acas guide)

EHRC guidance Employing people: workplace adjustments

Access to Work guide for employers

6. Encouraging your suppliers and partner firms to be Disability Confident

You may wish your suppliers and partners to reflect the values your organisation displays, and you may also conclude that your suppliers and partners can also be more effective if they too are tapping into the talents that disabled people can bring.

How

By encouraging your partners, suppliers and providers to demonstrate their commitment to being Disability Confident by signing-up to the scheme.

You may wish to consider setting clear performance indicators about disabled employment in contracts or frameworks for your supply chain and partners.

7. Ensuring employees have appropriate disability equality awareness

How

By ensuring all employees have sufficient disability equality awareness, taking into account their role. 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.

For example, staff carrying out recruitment will need to be fully aware of the steps to make a recruitment process fully accessible. Managers and supervisors will need to understand how to support their disabled staff. Other employees will need a general understanding of how attitudes, behaviours and environment can affect disabled people.

A practical guide for practitioners working with disabled people and those with long term health conditions

Disability Confident and CIPD: guide for line managers on employing people with a disability or health condition

Theme 1 – Getting the right people for your business – activity

Your business must also commit to at least one activity from the list below to be a Disability Confident Employer.

Enter your evidence for each activity you have chosen on your evidence template.

As a Disability Confident Employer my business is:

1. Providing work experience

Work experience is usually for a fixed period of time that a person spends with the business, when they can learn about working life and the working environment. A Disability Confident Employer will encourage disabled people to apply for all of their work experience opportunities and support them when they do.

Some work experience positions offer people the chance to try particular tasks. Others can provide an opportunity to watch and learn.

Work experience also provides an opportunity for disabled people to demonstrate their abilities and helps build the resilience and behaviours they will need to succeed. Watch the Mencap and Inclusive Employers video to see the experience of young people during Learning Disabilities Work Experience Week.

More information

Employer guides to work experience

Minimum wage: work experience and internships

Not just making tea: a guide to work experience

2. Providing work trials

This is a way of trying out a potential employee before offering them a job. It can be informal or 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 can last for up to 30 days.

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

Work trials

3. Providing paid employment (permanent or fixed term)

A Disability Confident Employer will encourage disabled people to apply for all of their vacancies and support them when they do. 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
• help through Work and Health Programme providers (for employing a disabled person who needs specialist support) (If you’re in Scotland contact Fair Start Scotland), other employment schemes including Work Clubs, and help with work experience.

More information

Work trials

Recruitment and disabled people

Sector-based work academies: employer guide

4. Providing apprenticeships

These are for new or current employees. They combine working with studying for a work-based qualification. A Disability Confident Employer will encourage disabled people to apply for all of 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

Take on an apprentice

Apprenticeships

5. Providing a traineeship

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 all of their traineeship vacancies and support them when they do.

More information

Traineeships

Traineeships: employers

Traineeships fact sheet for employers

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 for a certain employer, where they will 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 for all 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 special 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

Advertise an internship

Leonard Cheshire – Change100

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:

• Disability Jobsite
• Embracing Future Potential
• Evenbreak
• Remploy
• RNIB
• Scope
• Vercida
• your local disability rights organisation
• provider websites

8. Engaging with Jobcentre Plus, Work and Health Programme providers (If you’re in Scotland contact Fair Start Scotland) 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)
• identifying and connecting with Work and Health Programme
• identifying and connecting with job clubs
• 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

What is a DPULO? (video)

Help for recruiters

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 send a message to the world 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.

More information

Accessible premises infographic

Inclusive environments

Centre for Accessible Environments

Access and Sustainability Advisory Service

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 dwp.disabilityconfident@dwp.gov.uk

Theme 2 – Keeping and developing your people – core actions

As a Disability Confident Employer, your business should be:

1. Promoting a culture of being Disability Confident

How

By:

• building 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 make them feel comfortable to reveal this. The Stevenson/Farmer Review: Thriving at Work is a good source of advice for businesses of all sizes to help you develop your company’s approach to raising mental health awareness, and creating the right support to enable people to fulfil their potential at work.
• creating positive messages in company literature, statements and plans, and challenging any negative images or prejudicial statements.
• regularly consulting with staff about their perceptions of issues, barriers or concerns, and reporting back on action taken to address these.

More information

How your business can benefit from being disability confident (video)

Diversity and Inclusion at Fujitsu, Disability Confident (video)

Mind guide – How to implement the thriving at work mental health standards.

2. Supporting employees to manage their disabilities or health conditions

How

By:

• encouraging employees to be open and to discuss their access and support needs
• making 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
• providing support for existing employees who become disabled or experience health problems, for example, through occupational health sessions, offering flexible working patterns, offering home working
• providing workplace adjustments as necessary to support staff. This includes supporting applications to Access to Work for advice and financial support.

More information

Disability Confident and CIPD: guide for line managers on employing people with a disability or health condition CIPD and MIND Supporting mental health at work

Mind - Mental Health at Work gateway

Musculoskeletal health in the work place tool kit

Business in the Community Mental Health Toolkit for employers

3. Ensuring there are no barriers to the development and progression of disabled staff

How

By:

• ensuring disabled staff are fully included in team meetings and informal communications and that any special communication support they need is available
• encouraging disabled staff to be ambitious and to seek progression in the workplace, including increasing hours, taking on additional responsibilities and seeking promotion, and ensuring that support is available for disabled staff wishing to pursue this progression
• monitoring, whether formally or informally, progression rates for disabled staff and ensuring they are in line with general rates
• regularly discussing training and development needs with all staff, including disabled staff and offering appropriate training support as necessary such as courses in alternative formats, special coaching if necessary, accessible training venues
• ensuring there are no unforeseen barriers to progression, such as changes to location or travel arrangements that a disabled member of staff could not do.

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

An Inclusive Approach to Developing Disabled Talent

EY (video) talk about their approach to recruiting talented disabled people.

IMG Productions (video) (IMG) is one of the world’s leading television production companies. Their journey to becoming Disability Confident began when producer Simon Birri acquired a disability following a brain aneurysm.

4. Ensuring managers are aware of how they can support staff who are sick or absent from work

How

By:

• having a clear process for managing absence and making sure all staff know about this process
• ensuring that absent disabled staff receive regular contact from their line manager, in appropriate ways and formats, to keep them in touch with work developments and show them that they are still valued
• ensuring that when a disabled staff member has recovered enough to return to work a support plan is in place. 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 offering suitable alternative roles.

Acas - Looking after your staff and your business

5. Valuing and listening to feedback from disabled staff

How

By:

• ensuring there are opportunities for staff feedback, whether through formal staff surveys and forums or informally, and encouraging disabled staff to participate in them
• encouraging the creation of disabled staff networks where appropriate and creating mechanisms for receiving feedback from them
• regularly reporting on issues raised by disabled staff and what action has been taken about them
• ensuring that line managers encourage disabled staff to speak openly about their views, needs and ambitions in staff reviews, and act appropriately on the points raised.

6. Reviewing this Disability Confident Employer self-assessment regularly

A Disability Confident Employer will be looking to continually improve and to take account of changing advice and guidance. Regularly reviewing your self-assessment will help with this process.

Theme 2 – Keeping and developing your people – activity

You need to take at least one of the activities below to become a Disability Confident Employer.

Enter your evidence for each activity you have chosen on your evidence template.

As a Disability Confident Employer my business is:

1. Providing mentoring, coaching, buddying and or other support networks for staff

For example:

• mentoring is a partnership between mentor and mentee, with both working together as equals, in a relationship based upon mutual respect. A mentor is an experienced individual who is willing to share their knowledge with someone less experienced. They involve themselves in helping to guide the career of the mentee through a process of regular meetings and discussions
• coaching is more focused on a specific area of work and is sometimes used as a short term approach. The coach seeks to use their own everyday experience to improve the performance of others by giving tuition or instruction
• a buddy is generally a nominated colleague who can provide support, guidance and training and promote confidence when a member of staff moves to a new working environment
• providing access to support networks can be a good way of helping disabled staff or those with health conditions to develop their skills and build their confidence
• some companies also encourage staff to set up their own informal support networks, including virtual networks using email and messaging services.

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 on line management responsibilities.

3. Guiding staff to information and advice on mental health conditions

Guiding staff to information on mental health and well-being in the workplace can help them identify the symptoms and know how to support their team members and colleagues.

If you are wondering how to provide the right level of support in your business, the Stevenson/Farmer Review: Thriving at Work sets out some core standards for businesses of all sizes to help you develop your company’s approach to raise mental health awareness, and creating the right support to enable people to fulfil their potential at work.

Of the national and local helplines and support groups, Access to Work provides a specific mental health support service.

More information

Employing disabled people and people with health conditions

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

Access to Work

Fit for Work – Employer Occupational Health Advice Line

5. Identifying and sharing good practices in supporting disabled people

Benefits of this activity are that:

• it shows leadership to share your best practice with your wider business community, and helps support others on their Disability Confident journey
• being a known exemplar of good practice can help attract disabled talent that you might otherwise have missed
• providing specific role models and case studies can help encourage other disabled staff in the organisation or amongst suppliers, networks or the wider community to be more confident and ambitious.

6. Providing human resource managers 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?

When your business has completed your self-assessment and evidence template, you will need to confirm that you:

• have undertaken and successfully completed the Disability Confident Employer self-assessment
• are taking all of 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.

You will also need your Disability Confident reference number (this starts DCS00….), this was on the email we sent you or more recently on your certificate. If you can’t find it please email us at dwp.disabilityconfident@dwp.gov.uk.

You do not need to send us your evidence template. That is for your records only.

Please update your status and confirm you have completed your self-assessment. This will take you to the confirmation page.

In return we will send you:

• a confirmation email
• a certificate in recognition of your achievement; and
• a Disability Confident Employer badge that you can use in your own business stationary and communications for 3 years.

We’ll also send information about becoming a Disability Confident Leader.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we will include your business name, town and DC status in a list of all businesses signed-up to the scheme on our DC website.

Disability Confident Branding Guidelines:

You can find a copy of the Disability Confident branding guidelines on the DC website.

If you require a copy of your DC badge in a different format please email the Disability Confident Team disabilityconfident.scheme@dwp.gov.uk

Definition of disability

Someone is disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. This means that, in general, the:

• person must have an impairment that is either physical or mental
• impairment must have adverse effects that are substantial
• substantial adverse effects must be long-term, generally taken to mean for longer than 12 months
• long-term substantial adverse effects must be effects on normal day-to-day activities, such as a breathing condition that impedes walking or moving around or a mental health condition that impedes interacting with other people. A condition that impeded participation in high level competitive sport, or that prevented playing a musical instrument to concert level performance but that still allowed normal day to day activities would generally not be seen as a disability under the Equality Act.

Guidance for employers about their responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010

Long-term health conditions

Examples of long-term conditions include:

• high blood pressure
• depression
• dementia
• arthritis

Long-term conditions can affect many parts of a person’s life, from their ability to work and have relationships, to their housing needs and educational attainment.

Mental health conditions

A mental health condition is considered a disability if it has a long-term effect on your normal day-to-day activity. This is defined under the Equality Act 2010.

A condition is ‘long-term’ if it lasts, or is likely to last, 12 months.

‘Normal day-to-day activity’ is defined as something you do regularly in a normal day, such as using a computer, working set times or interacting with people.

If a mental health condition means they are disabled, they can get support at work from their employer. There are many different types of mental health condition, including:

• depression
• anxiety
• bipolar disorder
• obsessive compulsive disorder
• schizophrenia
• self-harm.

What isn’t counted as a disability?

See guidance on conditions that aren’t covered by the disability definition, for example addiction to non-prescribed drugs or alcohol.