DWP names four schemes it says support neurodivergent workers

The Department for Work and Pensions has set out the schemes it says support people with mental health conditions, Autistic people, ADHDers and other neurodivergent people at work. Brit Brief reports that DWP minister Sir Stephen Timms gave the list in response to a parliamentary question from Chris Evans, the Labour MP for Caerphilly.

Here is what was named, in plain terms.

The four schemes

1. Disability Confident. A UK-wide scheme for employers who commit to recruiting, keeping and developing disabled people and people with long-term health conditions. The list of signed-up employers is published monthly on GOV.UK.
2. Access to Work. A grant many neurodivergent workers already rely on. It can fund support workers, workplace assessments, travel to work and specialist equipment. Its Mental Health Support Service offers up to nine months of non-clinical support.
3. Keep Britain Working. A programme working with employers to help people with long-term mental health conditions stay in work. It is developing a standard for employers with the British Standards Institution.
4. Support with Employee Health and Disability. A service giving employers guidance on disclosure, their legal duties and reasonable adjustments.

What’s missing

The answer lists schemes, but it does not say how many neurodivergent people use them or how well they work. That matters, because the gap is large. Brit Brief reports a government figure that only 31% of disabled Autistic people were in work, against 54.7% of all disabled people. Workplace Wellbeing Professional gives slightly different figures for 2024/25: 34% against 55%. Either way, Autistic disabled people are far less likely to be in work.

Workplace Wellbeing Professional also reports that the government’s own list of measures includes nearly 500 extra staff to clear the backlog in Access to Work.

It follows the report of the government’s independent Expert Academic Panel on Neurodiversity, set up in January 2025. Workplace Wellbeing Professional reports that the panel said support should be based on what a person needs, not on whether they have a diagnosis. Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: “When we get the right support in place, neurodivergent people thrive at work.”

We agree with that sentence. The test is whether the support actually reaches people, quickly, without making them prove themselves over and over again. Schemes on paper don’t change working lives. Getting through the door, getting the adjustment and keeping the job do.

This piece summarises reporting by Brit Brief and Workplace Wellbeing Professional. Read the original articles for the full detail.