Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support autistic people into employment in Surrey Heath constituency.

Neurodivergent people bring many positive benefits to workplaces but face particular barriers to employment, which is reflected in a poor overall employment rate.

In Surrey Heath, the Jobcentres work closely with employers and providers to support customers with autism into employment. Our Disability Employment Advisers work closely with Surrey Choices who regularly attend both job fairs and events to support neurodivergent and autistic job seekers. The Employer and Partnership Team also identify Disability Confident employers to highlight/implement reasonable adjustments and signposting to Access to Work where appropriate to do so.

At national level, on 29 January this year, the Government launched an independent panel of academics with expertise and experiences of neurodiversity to advise us on boosting neurodiversity awareness and inclusion at work. Many of the panel are diagnosed or identify as neurodivergent and/or have familial experience alongside their professional experience and expertise. Recommendations are expected to include employer actions that can support the inclusion of neurodivergent people, including in recruitment and day to day workplace practices.

Under the Government’s new Get Britain Working Strategy, the forthcoming voluntary, locally led Supported Employment programme ‘Connect to Work’ will support disabled people, those with health conditions and other complex barriers including neurodivergent people, to get into and on in work.

Our support to employers also includes the online Support with Employee Health and Disability service, to support employers managing health and disability in the workplace. This includes questions of disclosure and equipping employers to feel confident having conversations about health and disability.