Government launches inquiry into flexible working for disabled people

The Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) has launched a new inquiry into disabled people’s access to flexible working.

This will examine why the cultural shift since the Covid-19 pandemic towards greater acceptance of flexible working has not yet had a substantial impact on the employment rate of disabled people and the disability employment gap.

Chaired by Labour MP Sarah Owen, the WEC will review the implications for disabled workers and jobseekers of flexible working policies, legislation and guidance as part of WEC’s Equality at Work focus.

Sarah Owen said: “Flexible working has become far more mainstream in the UK’s working culture since the Covid-19 pandemic. This shift should have been an opportunity to tackle discrimination against disabled workers and jobseekers.

“Yet the gap between employment rates of disabled and non-disabled people remains stubbornly high. The Committee’s timely new inquiry will examine the reasons for this, looking across sectors to assess whether there are further legislative or policy steps the Government could take to increase disabled people’s access to flexible working.”

Barriers to paid work for disabled people

The Committee says that greater flexibility around hours, shift patterns and where to work, whether remotely, at home, in an office or other workplace, or a hybrid combination, has the potential to allow disabled people with a range of impairments to overcome barriers to paid work.

Yet the gap between employment rates of disabled and non-disabled people remains stubbornly high. The latest DWP official statistics showed that the employment rate for working-age disabled people in Q2 2025 was 52.8%, compared to 82.5% among non-disabled people.

The inquiry will analyse the differences in people’s experiences of flexible working across different types of disability or impairment and among disabled people with a range of other protected characteristics. It will also explore flexible working across different sectors of the labour market and its effects on disabled people’s recruitment, retention and progression at work.

Flexible working and employment rights

Sarah Owen added: “WEC’s inquiry will analyse the impacts on disabled workers of employers’ ‘back to the office’ mandates and identify best practice examples of access to flexible working for disabled workers.<

“Through this call for evidence and forthcoming parliamentary sessions, the Committee will examine the likely effectiveness of the flexible working provisions in the Employment Rights Act 2025 for disabled workers and jobseekers. It will also assess the clarity of the law, and people’s awareness and understanding of it, around employers’ Equality Act reasonable adjustment duties in relation to flexible working, making recommendations for change where needed.”

The Committee invites written submissions through the inquiry website addressing any or all of the issues raised in the following terms of reference by Friday, 26 June 2026.

Alison Bloomer

Alison Bloomer is Editor of Learning Disability Today.

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