Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking to ensure people who have autism are given equal opportunities in employment.

We are committed to improving conditions for disabled people and those with related conditions in their private lives, in their communities and in employment.

The Equality Act 2010 provides protection from discrimination for people with particular protected characteristics, such as disability, in relation to work. This covers all aspects of employment including advertising and applying for posts, the interview process, promotion, training and dismissal. This applies to anyone who meets the Act’s definition of disability.

Employers are also required to make reasonable adjustments for employees they know have disabilities to ensure that they are not put at a substantial disadvantage in comparison with persons who are not disabled. Failure to make reasonable adjustments for a disabled person could amount to disability discrimination and a breach of the Act.

Building on these statutory protections, the Government is committed to getting one million more disabled people into work over the next 10 years. Improving Lives: the Future of Work, Health and Disability, published last year, sets out the Government’s strategy for helping people with disabilities or health conditions, including learning difficulties and autism, enter and remain in employment. Other support includes:

• Disability Confident: the campaign to work with employers to challenge attitudes towards disability, including learning difficulties and autism. A Disability Confident Autism Toolkit has been developed to provide comprehensive information on autism and hidden impairments, as well as guidance on employment and local authority services.
• Access to Work: the discretionary grant scheme which offers advice and practical and financial support above the level of reasonable adjustments to disabled people who are in work or about to start work. Access to Work has a Hidden Impairment Specialist Team that gives advice and guidance to help employers support employees with conditions such as autism.