What stops employers giving jobs to people with a learning disability?

A new survey shows that employers in the UK are afraid they might get things wrong, so they do not give jobs to people with a learning disability.

A company called Survation did the survey for Mencap in May 2026.

More than 1,600 employers took part in the survey.

8 out of 10 employers think that people with a learning disability can work hard and be good at their job.

But about 5 out of 10 employers do not have someone with a learning disability working for them.

Employers say they do not know enough about:

• health and safety
• how to make reasonable adjustments
• how to support someone with a learning disability in their job.

Reasonable adjustments are small changes that can help people with a learning disability to do a job.

About 5 out of 10 employers say adjustments do not cost much money.

About 7 out of 10 employers say it is easy to make adjustments if you get the right help.

Lots of people with a learning disability want to have a job.

People with a learning disability may take longer to learn and may need help. 

But lots of people with a learning disability can work if they have the right help.

The Mencap Training Academy can help employers:

• make sure that people with a learning disability can apply for jobs with them
• learn more about reasonable adjustments
• be more confident about working with people with a leaning disability.

The Mencap Training Academy can help people with a learning disability:

• get help to learn new skills
• get ready for work
• get a job.

You can find out more about the Mencap Training Academy at www.mencap.org.uk/academy