Nine disability charities are urging UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham to back earlier, joined-up support as disabled young people account for 45% of those not in education, employment or training.
Young disabled people are being denied a fair chance to work because support arrives too late and employment systems continue to overlook their potential, nine leading disability charities have warned. In an open letter to Prime Minister Andy Burnham, the Disability Charities Consortium (DCC) describes the failure to intervene earlier as a “national scandal” and calls for a radically different, cross-government approach to supporting young disabled people into education, training and employment.
The DCC brings together nine leading disability charities – Mencap, Mind, Scope, National Autistic Society, RNIB, RNID, Sense, Leonard Cheshire and Disability Rights UK.
The intervention comes as nearly one million 16 to 24-year-olds remain outside education, employment or training (NEET). But disabled young people are disproportionately affected. In 2024/25, 45% of young people who were NEET were disabled, according to the DCC, while young people with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND) are around 80% more likely to be NEET than their peers.
Deprivation increases the risk eightfold. The charities argue that government, employers and public services need to intervene much earlier rather than waiting until young people have already fallen out of education or employment.
A NATIONAL SCANDAL
The DCC told the Prime Minister: “It’s a national scandal that we can see which children are most at risk of being left behind, often years before it happens, and still fail to act early enough. The prospect of a secure job shouldn’t be a fairy tale for young disabled people. But right now, for too many disabled young adults the challenge of getting even a paying job is more like a nightmare. Employers overlook them. Jobs with the right support don’t seem to exist. And when they end up out of work, they are often blamed for a system that failed them”.
The letter follows the interim findings of the Milburn Review into young people and work, which described a “whole-system failure” in support for the next generation. Fair Play Talks highlighted the scale of Britain’s growing youth employment challenge. Earlier this year, the number of 16 to 24-year-olds outside education, employment or training passed one million, with 84% of NEET young people surveyed saying they wanted to work, study or train.
More recent official figures put the number at 981,000 between April and June 2026, equivalent to 13% of all 16 to 24-year-olds. The issue is therefore not simply whether young people want to work. It is whether the systems around them give them a realistic route in.
YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES FACE ADDITIONAL BARRIERS
The DCC argues that disability-related barriers can combine with poverty, poor health, insecure housing, difficulties at school and lack of opportunity long before a young person reaches the labour market. Mental health is also becoming an increasingly significant part of the picture.
When young disabled people fall behind, the charities argue, too much attention is placed on what is supposedly “wrong” with the individual rather than asking what support was missing. That reflects a wider employment challenge. Fair Play Talks has previously reported that almost half of disabled people believe their disability or health condition makes it harder to hold down a job.
That research found 43% said it was harder to look for jobs and attend interviews, 47% said it was harder to remain in work and 46% felt their disability made career progression more difficult. For people with learning disabilities, the employment gap has historically been even wider. Previous studies found just 5.6% of supported working-age adults with a learning disability were in paid employment in England.
TIME TO GIVE YOUNG DISABLED PEOPLE A FAIR CHANCE
“We tell our children to dream big. But for too many young disabled people, the foundations needed to thrive in adult life – education, training and secure employment – remain out of reach,” shared DCC Co-Chair Jon Sparkes OBE, Chief Executive of learning disability charity Mencap. “Why should it be a fairy tale for them, while it’s a reality for others?
He added that: “Young disabled people, including those with a learning disability, aren’t short of ambition. What they are in desperate need of is opportunity and the right support. Too many are being held back by barriers that could and should be removed.”
Ministers “have a choice,” said Sparkes. “Keep paying the human and economic price of acting too late, or invest earlier and give young disabled people a fair chance to build the futures they want. Our leaders have the power to change the story.”
The emphasis on opportunity rather than aspiration is significant. Fair Play Talks has also highlighted how employers involved in tackling the youth jobs crisis increasingly recognise that young people with SEND may need more personalised or wraparound support rather than being expected to navigate conventional recruitment systems alone. The CBI has warned that access to entry-level jobs, apprenticeships and training is becoming increasingly difficult.
EARLY ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT MATTERS
The charities are also calling for much earlier access to mental-health support. “There is a huge rise in young people struggling with their mental health, which is both a cause and a consequence of individuals falling out of work and education. Fractured and inadequate support is holding them back further,” shared DCC Co-Chair Dr Sarah Hughes, Chief Executive of mental health charity Mind.
She believes Government has a pivotal opportunity right now to turn things around for young people. “This needs to include open access to mental health services so that anybody experiencing distress can get the right help at the right time and giving all young disabled people greater opportunities to participate in society alongside a strong safety net when they need support,” she noted. “If we don’t get this right, we risk letting down a whole generation as more and more young people fall through the gaps.”
The DCC wants prevention and support to begin much earlier, including through education, healthcare and flexible pathways into adulthood and work.
A CROSS-GOVERNMENT APPROACH
The charities argue that employment policy alone will not solve the problem. Government departments responsible for employment, education, health, social care, housing and social security need to work together so young disabled people receive support before problems become crises.
The DCC is calling for a “national mission built around, and with, young people”, rather than one shaped by departmental boundaries. That includes access to:
- apprenticeships and supported internships;
- appropriate health and social-care support;
- accessible transport;
- employment support, including Access to Work;
- reasonable adjustments;
- accessible education and training pathways; and
- financial security while young people move towards employment.
The DCC also stresses that employment support must not come at the expense of financial security. Young disabled people relying on social security should have a strong safety net alongside tailored employment support, while those who cannot work should be “protected and supported to live with dignity, choice and independence.”
SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT CAN OPEN THE FIRST DOOR
Supported internships and tailored employment programmes already demonstrate what can happen when opportunity is matched with appropriate support. Fair Play Talks has previously highlighted programmes helping young people with learning disabilities, autism and other disabilities move into employment. Whitbread’s Thrive programme, for example, has supported young people with learning disabilities and autism to build skills, confidence and obtain meaningful employment.
More recently, Amazon’s Supporting Transition to Employment Programme was recognised for creating pathways into work for young people with autism and SEND through supported internships and bursary support. And the Government’s recently launched Jobs Guarantee could provide another route into employment.
However, Business Disability Forum has stressed that opportunities must be accessible and inclusive for disabled young people. Opening the vacancy alone is not enough. Young people may also need accessible recruitment, reasonable adjustments, additional manager support, workplace technology, mentoring or greater flexibility.
A JOB GIVES A FEELING OF ACCOMPLISHMENT
For Aaron Plummer, 25, from London, the right support has helped turn an ambition to work into a sustainable job. Aaron works 40 hours a week, Monday to Friday, as a kitchen porter at BaxterStorey, an independent hospitality provider. He has been in the role for more than a year and travels independently to work by train.
Aaron has a learning disability, cerebral palsy and developmental delay, affecting his hands and speech and meaning some tasks take him longer. “At work I may not be as quick as my colleagues. It takes me longer to put deliveries away,” he said.
But that has not stopped him developing a range of skills or taking pride in his role. “A job gives you that feeling of accomplishment. You feel like you have a bit of purpose when you wake up in the morning.”
Aaron washes up, clears away, keeps the kitchen clean and ensures supplies remain stocked. Through the role he has developed skills in customer service, timekeeping, organisation and working in a fast-paced environment. “I think I’m good at my job because I’m open to learning and I always want to improve. I won’t allow my disability to get in the way of what I want to achieve.”
COLLEAGUES AND MANAGEMENT KEY TO SUCCESS
Aaron says the attitude of colleagues and managers has been central to his success. “The team treats me the same as everyone else. They know I have a learning disability, but instead of telling me I can’t do things, they show me how to do them and support me to get better.”
That experience illustrates why disability inclusion cannot end at recruitment. Recent research has highlighted how psychological safety can determine whether disabled and neurodivergent employees feel able to ask for support, request adjustments and contribute with confidence.
Employers also need managers who understand that employees may perform tasks differently or require additional time without being less capable of making a valuable contribution.
A DIFFICULT ROUTE INTO WORK
Aaron’s route to his current job was not straightforward. After leaving school in 2018, he secured a supported internship through Mencap at a Novotel hotel. He enjoyed hospitality but was made redundant during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and spent more than a year trying to find another job.
“I applied for job after job, went to interview after interview,” he said. “I really wanted to stay working in hotels.” In a later role, Aaron says he experienced poor support and negative treatment from colleagues and managers that damaged his confidence.
He recalls being told he was “not quick enough” and “too slow”, as well as frequently being given unsociable shifts. “I always asked them to show me how to improve because I wanted to be better. But they never helped,” he said.
Aaron returned to Mencap for help with his CV, interview preparation and job search. “Mencap support has always been amazing, and it felt so good to finally talk to someone who listened to me,” he said. With that support, he secured his current position at BaxterStorey, where he now feels valued and included.
SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES
Aaron believes employers need to look beyond disability and recognise what people with learning disabilities can contribute. “Support us. We want to work. We have goals just like everyone else. Sometimes we just need a bit more time or support to get there. Give us a chance,” he added. “Don’t limit us because we have a learning disability. Show us how to do the job, include us, and offer us the same opportunities as everyone else. We want to earn money, be treated fairly, and be given options.”
Looking ahead, Aaron hopes to stay in his current job and continue saving so he can travel in the future.
WHAT EMPLOYERS CAN DO
Government action will be critical, but employers also have considerable influence over whether young disabled people get that first opportunity. The charities recommend companies to:
Make recruitment accessible from the start
Employers should review job descriptions, application forms, assessments and interviews to ensure unnecessary barriers are not excluding candidates. Business Disability Forum has previously highlighted practical ways organisations can attract and retain disabled talent, including better support at key life stages and greater visibility of disabled role models.
Create real entry routes into work
Supported internships, apprenticeships, work experience and genuine entry-level jobs can provide the first rung on the career ladder. Employers should avoid demanding previous experience for roles intended to provide that first experience.
Train and support managers
Aaron’s experience demonstrates the difference between being told someone is “too slow” and being shown how to improve. Managers need the time and skills to set expectations, provide constructive feedback, understand adjustments and develop employees rather than write them off.
Focus on what someone can do
Disability should not automatically become a proxy for capability. Tasks may need to be taught differently, jobs designed more flexibly or additional support provided. Click here to learn how employers can recruit and retain people with learning disabilities, including removing unnecessary barriers during recruitment and providing appropriate workplace support.
Build long-term careers, not just placements
A successful internship or work placement should be a route towards sustainable employment wherever possible. Employers should think about progression, skill development, mentoring and career pathways rather than measuring inclusion simply by the number of placements offered.
Listen to lived experience
Disabled people should help shape the programmes, workplaces and services intended for them. That principle is increasingly central to disability inclusion. As recently highlighted through The Valuable 500’s All In series, better outcomes are more likely when accessibility and lived experience are built in from the beginning rather than added afterwards.
FROM ‘WHO IS WRONG?’ TO ‘WHAT SUPPORT IS MISSING?’
Perhaps the most important argument in the DCC’s letter is its challenge to the way youth unemployment and disability are framed. When a young disabled person falls out of education or work, the charities argue, the question too often becomes what is wrong with that person. The more useful question may be: What support was missing?
Aaron’s experience shows what can happen when someone is given opportunity, practical support and managers prepared to help them improve. He wanted to work before he found BaxterStorey. His disability did not change. What changed was the environment around him.
For the DCC, ensuring more young disabled people get that same opportunity will require government departments, public services and employers to stop intervening only when people reach crisis point. A secure job should not, as the charities put it, be a “fairy tale” for young disabled people. It should be a realistic option.
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