Disability support
Your rights in the workplace
The Equality Act 2010 defines disability as “anyone with a physical or mental impairment, diagnosed or not, that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities”.
This covers a range of conditions, injuries and illnesses including, but not limited to, mental health, chronic illness or pain, neurodivergence and learning disabilities or difficulties. Research from Scope shows that:
16 million people identify as Disabled, making up 24% of the UK population
The importance of disability support in the workplace
It can be tough to work in our industry, especially for those facing additional barriers as a Disabled person. The lack of understanding and inclusivity that can prevent many from entering and remaining in work, results in the results in the underrepresentation that exists and the substantial loss of diverse talent.
The knock-on effects for the individual can be wide-ranging; impacting on their mental, physical and financial wellbeing.
Our previous research
We know from our Money Matters Report, and 2024 Looking Glass Report that:
57% of Disabled respondents were finding it very or “quite difficult to manage financially"
Disabled or Neurodivergent respondents had significantly lower wellbeing and significantly higher loneliness compared to others in the industry
A report from the Sir Lenny Henry Centre and Birmingham University revealed that most Disabled people in our industry have access needs or require reasonable adjustments. However, only one in five are using Access to Work, a government scheme which can offer practical support and grants to help you get or stay in work.
Effective support for Disabled and neurodivergent individuals
Effective inclusivity must be a collective effort. However, an important part of that process is Disabled people being encouraged to advocate for themselves, as well as being offered the resources and support they need to do so. With that in mind, here are some helpful first steps:
Your access needs and employer inclusivity
It can be really difficult to know whether your next job will be in a supportive, accessible and inclusive environment. Some positive indicators might be:
- Your employer is actively using our Whole Picture Toolkit
- They follow best practice for Disability inclusion such as the TV Access Project's - The 5As
- They have signed up to the Disability Confident scheme
- They offer good training and signposting to support
- They have Wellbeing Facilitators, Mental Health First Aiders or Access Co-ordinators on set
- You could also try to connect with others who may have experience of the company
If you're looking for a job, there are ways to find out if the workplace will be accessible for you. Scope have put together a list of support and advice to help you.
An access need is something a person needs to communicate, learn, take part in an activity and perform to the best of their abilities.
These needs can be physical, sensory, cognitive, or emotional, and they often require adjustments or accommodations and awareness to ensure inclusivity and accessibility. You may already have a very clear understanding of what your access needs are, but if not, you could use a Mind Map to help you think about the tasks you do and how they affect you, and what a better approach to them might be.
It may also be helpful to see what common accommodations are suggested for different needs. Learning about your access needs is a big step towards being able to successfully advocate for yourself, but this may take time, and it is important to be patient with yourself.
Disclosing your disability is a deeply personal and sometimes complex undertaking. It is up to you whether you want to or feel able to disclose your disability or not, but mentioning disability at a time of your choosing will help facilitate conversations about your access needs, provide reasonable adjustments and Access to Work grants.
Formulating your access and wellbeing requirements through Creating Your Own Access Rider or using our Working Well With Me template can help you to start conversations about your access and wellbeing needs to employers, colleagues and others.
You don’t have to explain why you have an access requirement but communicating them in a way which is comfortable for you can ensure employers are aware of any adjustments they may need to make so that a d/Deaf, Disabled or Neurodivergent person can perform their job and flourish instead of being unfairly disadvantaged.
Should you wish to, these documents are also a good opportunity to highlight the strengths you bring to work, so feel free to adapt these. Read further tips and find templates for creating your access rider via the Disability Arts Online website.
“Reasonable adjustments” are changes an employer makes to remove or reduce a disadvantage related to someone's disability. For example:
- Making changes to the workplace
- Changing someone's working arrangements
- Finding a different way of doing something
- Providing equipment, services or support
Under the Equality Act 2010, employers are required to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that workers with disabilities, physical or mental health conditions, are not substantially disadvantaged when doing their jobs.
Anyone who needs a reasonable adjustment should talk with their manager or employer (or their potential employer if they're applying for a job).
Applications and other support
Access to Work provides grants and practical support to help you get or stay in work if you have a physical or mental health condition or disability. Examples of what Access to Work could support with include specialist coaching for people with ADHD, sign language interpreters for d/Deaf people and taxis to work and ergonomic office equipment for people with chronic mobility issues.
You can apply for Access to Work if you are in paid work (or be about to start or return to a job) and this includes self-employment. Access to Work can also help pay for communication support at a job interview.
There are a range of grants available that you may be eligible for:
Film and TV Charity financial support
Access to other grants
- Turn2Us Grants search
- Disability Grants
- ScreenSkills Bursary - offers funding towards Disability Access Support and other career development needs
- Disabled Facilities Grants
Benefits
If you are on a low income, check your benefit entitlement through using a benefit calculator.
You may also be eligible for additional disability or health-related benefits, such as the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and an extra health element with Universal Credit.
You can find other Disabled and neurodivergent creatives to connect, share and support each other via our Industry communities and peer support page.
Training and work opportunities
Find local and national support groups
You can work closely with our Work and Wellbeing advisers over a three-month period to address barriers that are stopping you moving ahead with your career.
There’s support and guidance with anything from debt and housing to help with PIP and Access to Work forms. They can help you identify what’s holding you back, think through your options and get back on track.
If you are being bullied, harassed or being discriminated against, such as your employer failing to implement reasonable adjustments, you can get confidential support via our Bullying Advice Service to talk through your situation and help you consider your options.
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Access to work
Government grants to remove barriers that Disabled, neurodivergent and those with health conditions face in starting or staying in paid work
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Personal Independence Payment
Support for working age adults with the extra costs of living due to a health condition or a disability
24 hour Support Line
You can also reach out our 24-hour Support Line on 0800 054 0000 to speak to someone right now.
We can offer a listening ear, legal advice, financial advice, online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy courses covering topics such as ADHD, chronic conditions and mental health, and six free sessions of counselling.
