Remote work gap leaves disabled workers excluded

Access to remote and hybrid working is essential for disabled workers, yet opportunities remain scarce, finds a major UK study.

The findings come from an interim report of the largest mixed-methods study of disabled workers' experiences of remote and hybrid work in the UK, conducted by researchers from Lancaster University, the Work Foundation at Lancaster University, Manchester Metropolitan University and Universal Inclusion, and funded by the Nuffield Foundation.

The Inclusive Remote and Hybrid Working Study highlights a growing disconnect between demand and supply when it comes to flexible work. While 85% of disabled workers consider remote and hybrid working either essential or very important when looking for a job, only 3.8% of vacancies on the UK Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Find a Job portal explicitly offer it. This gap means millions of disabled workers could be excluded from job opportunities they are qualified for.

A structural barrier to work

The UK has a 28.6% disability employment gap, a figure that has remained stubbornly high. Government statistics show that nearly one in four working-age people in the UK are disabled, yet significant barriers prevent them from entering or staying in the workforce. One key finding is that flexible work, particularly fully remote roles, can be a lifeline for managing health conditions, improving job retention and reducing sickness absence.

“At their most successful, remote and hybrid working models have the potential to break down barriers to employment for disabled people or those with long-term health conditions,” states the report, although it adds the caveat that “there is some way to go before these jobs are accessible to all.”

A separate recent Work Foundation survey found that 83% of businesses now have employees working remotely or in a hybrid model. Additionally, 43% of businesses reported a rise over the past four years

in employees requesting remote work to manage health conditions. 

However, in organisations where remote or hybrid work is not already in place, demand appears significantly lower, with only 18% reporting an increase in requests. This suggests that in workplaces lacking a culture of flexibility, employees may be reluctant to ask for remote options, either due to uncertainty about employer support or fear that such requests could be viewed negatively.

New data from PwC underscores the broader challenge. One in four young workers have considered leaving the workforce, citing poor mental health as the top reason. Additionally:

• A third of economically inactive individuals say they are not interested in returning to work.
• 37% cite low self-esteem and confidence as key barriers.
• 63% of firms report a rise in workers leaving and becoming inactive, with 70% saying mental health is the primary driver.
• 57% of employers admit they are hesitant to hire those who are economically inactive.
   

This suggests that workplace flexibility, including remote and hybrid work, could be key to not only supporting disabled workers but also addressing broader workforce participation issues.

Despite this, the Inclusive Remote and Hybrid Working Study found that return-to-office mandates from major employers are creating new challenges. Legislation has not kept pace with the shift towards flexible work and the UK’s Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023, which gives employees the right to request flexible working from day one, still allows requests to be denied on broad business grounds. The report warns that these policies fail to prioritise inclusion, leaving disabled workers in a precarious position.

Change in percentage of disabled and non-disabled workers mainly working from home in the UK from between 2019/20 and 2023/24

Source: Work Foundation estimates using Annual Population Survey microdata provided through the UK Data Service, April 2019-March 2020 and July 2023-June 2024.

A business case HR leaders cannot ignore

Beyond inclusion, the study highlights clear business benefits to remote and hybrid work. Findings show that 80% of disabled workers in fully remote roles report a positive impact on their ability to manage their health, while only 38% of those working remotely less than half the time say the same.

Productivity is also a key factor. Both employers and employees reported that remote work reduces sickness absence and allows workers to be more effective in their roles. Employees talked about being able to better manage their health at home as well as saving time and energy from not commuting to work. This builds on a separate 2022 Work Foundation survey which found that 85% of disabled workers said that they were more productive when working from home.

Given the ongoing UK labour shortages and increased economic inactivity due to long-term ill health, HR and business leaders should view flexible work as a strategic advantage rather than an accommodation. The report suggests that if just 25% of disabled people currently out of work were given access to remote employment, this could significantly increase workforce participation.

Proportion of workers who would not consider a job where remote was not available, by reported impairment or long-term health condition

Source: IRHWS survey of 1,221 disabled workers and those with long-term health conditions who were working remotely or in a hybrid way, conducted between 5 June 2023 and 4 February 2024.

The remote work advertising gap

Despite high demand, the study found that remote jobs are rarely advertised as such, creating a structural barrier to employment. Only 0.6% of jobs on the DWP Find a Job portal are listed as fully remote with 3.2% as hybrid, despite over 20% of UK workers already working mainly from home.

One in four (26%) remote and hybrid jobs are advertised in London and the South East of England, indicating that access to flexible working options varies significantly across regions

This lack of transparency in job postings deters disabled workers from applying. “People who would like to try out work may find it difficult to do so without some flexibility over their work location, meaning they face a trade-off between progressing in their careers and managing their conditions,” says the report.

It recommends that employers explicitly state flexibility options in job advertisements, ensuring that candidates are aware of remote work opportunities before applying. "Although people can request flexible working once having obtained a job, many disabled workers would not apply unless they knew from the onset that remote or hybrid working is possible," the study warns.

Challenges and unequal support

While remote and hybrid work benefits many disabled workers, the report identifies areas where employers are failing to provide equal support.

• Unequal treatment based on condition: Workers with conditions such as Long-Covid or sensory processing disorders report lower levels of manager support compared to those with more widely understood disabilities. Only 51% of Long-Covid sufferers said their manager had shown appreciation for their contributions, compared to 71% of those with hearing impairments.
• Progression barriers: 24% of disabled workers believe that remote work has negatively impacted their career progression, highlighting the need for fair promotion pathways.
• Isolation and lack of workplace adaptations: Some remote workers experience isolation or difficulty accessing workplace adjustments, particularly where hot-desking and return-to-office mandates undermine previously agreed accommodations.

These findings indicate that offering remote work is not enough. HR leaders must ensure that flexible arrangements are inclusive, equitable and designed to support career progression.

Lessons for global HR leaders

Although this study is UK-based its findings have global implications. The disability employment gap exists in most economies and, while remote work has expanded worldwide since the pandemic, access to flexible jobs remains uneven across regions and industries.

Rather than assuming the UK findings apply universally people leaders should ask:

• Are remote and hybrid roles in our organisation designed with disabled workers in mind?
• Are job postings transparent about flexibility options?
• Do our policies ensure equal career progression for remote and in-office workers?

While legal frameworks differ, the core principles of inclusive remote work remain relevant globally. Businesses that actively embed flexible work into their DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging) strategies will gain access to a wider talent pool and create fairer workplaces.

As the UK Government pushes for higher employment rates it must prioritise inclusive job creation rather than forcing disabled people into unsuitable roles. Remote and hybrid work has the potential to break down long standing employment barriers but only if organisations actively design and promote flexible roles that work for everyone.

“The huge rise of homeworking over the last five years has meant that for many people who are disabled or have long-term health conditions, this workplace flexibility, which they may have previously sought and been denied or stigmatised for, has now been introduced across whole organisations, providing new opportunities for disabled people to access and sustain healthier work lives,” says the report. 

But, it concludes, demand for remote and hybrid work is outstripping the supply of suitable jobs, underlying “the need for employers to design flexible roles well, taking account of the needs and voices of disabled workers.”