Around one in seven people are neurodivergent, yet 75% want to work and cannot find or keep jobs that match their skills. This matters because current employment support systems fail neurodivergent people—those with autism, ADHD, or learning disabilities—who face stigma, lack of understanding, and workplaces that do not accommodate their needs. Many end up underemployed or on short-term contracts, despite being willing and able to work. The government has committed to improving this through the Get Britain Working plan and the National Autism Strategy, but it is not clear which existing programmes actually work. This Development Award will build the foundation for a larger Research Award. The team will review existing policies and data, examine current practice in South Yorkshire—an area with high economic inactivity—and work directly with neurodivergent people, employers, and policymakers to co-design the next phase of research. If successful, the subsequent Research Award could reshape employment policies, help businesses create genuinely inclusive workplaces, and reduce stigma. The ultimate goal is practical: enabling more neurodivergent people to secure stable jobs that match their qualifications, improving both their health and the broader economy.
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Neurodivergent people think, learn, or process information differently due to conditions like autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities. Around one in seven people are neurodivergent, yet they often struggle to find and keep jobs. Many are underemployed, working in jobs below their skill level or on short-term contracts. Importantly, 75% of neurodivergent people want to work but face barriers such as stigma, lack of understanding, and workplaces that do not accommodate their needs. This research aims to improve employment support systems so neurodivergent people can access, remain in, and succeed in work. Being in work benefits people s health and wellbeing, and the government has committed to helping neurodivergent people find employment through initiatives specified in the Get Britain Working plan, the NHS Long Term Plan and the National Autism Strategy. Our proposed work will identify what is effective, what needs improvement in current employment support programs, what would help employers create more inclusive workplaces, and how to strengthen policies and legislation to ensure better support for neurodivergent workers. To build a strong plan for a Research Award, in the Development Award we will review existing policies and government initiatives to understand current employment support. We will also find out what data currently exists in terms of neurodivergent employment, neurodivergent people s experiences of workplace adjustments, and neurodivergent people s experiences of barriers to work. Additionally, we will review support in one area of England that is high in economic inactivity (South Yorkshire) to see what current practice is. Another key aspect of the Development Award is engaging with employers, policymakers and neurodivergent people to co-design the research that will be part of the Research Award, ensuring it addresses real-world needs. The Development Award will also provide training for researchers in how to make research work in practice (implementation science). Further, implementation of research into practice will form an important part of the Research Award. This Development Award brings together experts in psychology, employment, behaviour change, policy research, implementation science and health economics. Neurodivergent people will play a central role in shaping the work, ensuring it is relevant and impactful. By working closely with neurodivergent people, employers, and policymakers, the overall aims of the work in this Development Award and subsequent Research Award will be to improve employment policies, help businesses create more inclusive workplaces, reduce stigma, and remove employment barriers. Ultimately, this work seeks to enable more neurodivergent people to secure jobs that match their skills, creating fairer and more accessible employment opportunities.
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