Resources for employers

If you are an employer interested in working with people with a learning disability, this page provides answers to the most frequently asked questions raised by employers in relation to hiring people with a learning disability.

Employing people with learning disabilities

Mencap’s 2024 Big Public Transport Survey found that only 29% of working age adults with a learning disability are currently in paid work.

As of August 2025, the estimated number of vacancies in the UK is 728,000.

In 2022, Mencap commissioned the National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi) to conduct some research into the employment of people with a learning disability. They found that 86% of respondents with a learning disability who are not in work would like a paid job.

Those who were already employed when they spoke to our researchers were asked what kind of work they did.

17%

worked in an office

17%

worked in health and social care

11%

worked in hospitality

11%

worked in retail

24%

worked in a different sector

Many of the people who were asked about the type of job they do stated ‘other’.
This research showed us that there's a vast amount of different types of work people with learning disabilities can do.

Source: NDTI (2022) 'Work and Learning Disability Research', pages 6, 18-19 and 20.

Fact sheets for employers

We have put together a series of fact sheets which you can download. These cover questions and topics in relation to hiring people with learning disabilities that are often raised by employers.

To find out more about the research conducted by NDTi, or if you have a question about our fact sheets, please contact our Education , Skills and Work team.

Find out more about the NDTI research

National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTI) research helps better understand what people with a learning disability want when it comes to work, and why so few people with a learning disability are able to access or maintain paid work.

Read the summaries of their research.

Summary 1 Summary 2

Our employment services

No one understands better than us that work is about more than just having a job. Being able to work can give you confidence, independence and the means to realise bigger dreams.

If you have a learning disability or a family member who does, find out more about how we can support people into finding paid work.

Find out more