Autism policy and services: Employment
Disabled people with autism people face one of the widest pay gaps of all disability groups. This briefing paper outlines statistics on employment, government policy, and employment support programmes.
This briefing forms part of a collection of briefings on autism policy and
services
In the 2024/25 financial year, 34.0% of disabled people with autism were in employment, which compared to 55.3% for all disabled people and 82.0% of non-disabled people.
The National Autistic Society has said that 77% of unemployed autistic people want to work.
Some autistic people will have protection under the Equality Act 2010 from disability discrimination. Under the act, a person is considered disabled if:
- they have a physical or mental impairment, and
- the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.
An independent panel of academics, led by Professor Amanda Kirby, was appointed on 30 January 2025 to look at how to improve job chances for neurodivergent people, and how to improve inclusion in the workplace. This review will cover autism. The review planned to publish their report in late summer. As of the end of October 2025, the report has not been published, but the Minister for Work and Pensions Sir Stephen Timms said on 27 October 2025 that advice from the panel had been received, and they were “considering how to take that forward”.
Sir Charlie Mayfield was appointed in January 2025 to lead a review into economic inactivity linked to ill health and disability, and his final report was published on 5 November 2025.
The Buckland Review of Autism Employment, published in February 2024, made recommendations across five key areas to improve employment outcomes for autistic individuals. These include launching a national employer awareness campaign, employment support programmes and better access to resources like Access to Work, enhancing recruitment and support practices, and promoting inclusive workplace design and career progression.
Schemes aimed at supporting autistic people with employment include:
- Access to Work- grants to provide practical and financial support to help disabled people find or stay in work
- Connect to Work- local employment support services to help disabled people find or stay in work, for example individual job coaching, or job matching services.
- WorkWell- early intervention work and health assessments to provide support for health-related barriers to employment
The 2021 National Autism Strategy raised concerns about Jobcentre support for autistic people, noting staff often lack understanding of their needs and required adjustments. It also highlighted that the Jobcentre environment can be distressing or anxiety-inducing for many autistic individuals.
Government efforts to improve Jobcentre support for autistic people include Disability Employment Advisors who can work alongside work coaches to support claimants, and a DWP Autism and Neurodiversity Toolkit offering guidance to staff.
In October 2021, the government piloted an Autism Accreditation in 15 Jobcentres, developed with the National Autistic Society, to improve services for autistic jobseekers. The pilot focused on assessing current practices and creating a new support model to help autistic individuals find, retain, and progress in employment. All participating Jobcentres achieved accreditation.