"It’s anticipated that large employers will soon be expected to report their disability pay gap, but this could be a big step for some if they don’t report on any employee disability data at present."
- Katharine Moxham, Spokesperson for GRiD
Of those surveyed (500), 71% said they report on the proportion of staff with disabilities – rising from 50% in 2023. When asked why this data was collected, 60% said it informs Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) practices or initiatives, followed by talent management practice (57%), tracking progress made by D&I initiatives (52%), and shaping recruitment practice (46%).
Group Risk Development (GRiD) welcomes this “remarkable” year-on-year increase, demonstrating that more employers are getting a better understanding of the number of people who’re affected by disabilities for whom they have a duty of care.
This awareness is crucial given that there are 5.67mn people with disabilities in the workplace, according to the latest data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) – rising from 5.32mn disabled employees in 2023.
Whilst the industry body recognises the previous government’s 2017 target of getting 1mn more disabled individuals into employment by 2027 appears to have been met, it also disguises the rise in disabled people of working age. GRiD warns that collecting disability data itself isn’t the end game and that it must be put to good use for an organisation and its employees to see the benefit.
“Improving employment practices for disabled people is important as that shapes an organisation’s approach, but employers must ensure they respond to the individual needs of both current & future employees,” explained Katharine Moxham, Spokesperson for GRiD.
She said: “As it’s not mandatory for employees to report a disability to their employer, disability data is likely to underreport the numbers affected. However, if comprehensive support is put in place, it can be accessed by everyone whether they’re able-bodied, have visible disabilities, or non-apparent disabilities, whether they’re newly disabled or have been living with a disability for a long time.
“We’d suggest that all employers start collecting disability data to inform their current practices, support staff with existing needs, and put themselves in a good position should new legislation be confirmed,” Katharine concluded.
