Economic inactivity due to ill health has surged by more than 33% since the pandemic, with more than 2.8 million people in the UK now out of work because of a health condition or disability. Closing this gap requires solutions that address barriers to access, not ability. This means rethinking how employment support is designed and delivered.
Rethinking employment support
Traditional employment processes can inadvertently exclude talented participants with health conditions or disabilities. Complex application processes, unclear job descriptions, and unpredictable interviews can make it harder to engage with work opportunities. At the core of our services is a commitment to blending human-centred support with innovative technology, ensuring greater inclusivity and accessibility.
Technology with empathy
Career Pathfinder, our AI-enabled solution, is designed to complement human support rather than replace it. Employment advisors remain central to the process, providing empathy and tailored guidance, while technology simplifies complex tasks and creates a structured approach. This combination helps jobseekers overcome barriers and access opportunities more effectively.
Inclusive solutions for CV challenges
Creating an effective CV shouldn’t be a barrier to employment – yet for many jobseekers, it is. Anyone can struggle with presenting their experience effectively, but these challenges are particularly acute for those some. Individuals experiencing anxiety or depression may struggle with self-confidence and sustained focus, while neurodivergent candidates, including those with ADHD, autism, or dyslexia, can find themselves wrestling with structure, language conventions, or formatting. Our approach bridges this gap through a combination of advisor-led guidance with our AI-powered tool to transform even minimal input into a professional, well-structured CV. This empowers participants to present their skills and experience with clarity and confidence – without the process itself becoming an obstacle.
Helping jobseekers perform at their best
For many jobseekers, the interview is where opportunity meets anxiety. Interview preparation benefits everyone, but for those with conditions such as social anxiety, ADHD, autism, or speech and language disorders, the challenges especially significant: unpredictable questions, difficulty articulating strengths under pressure, or managing social cues can overshadow ability. We’ve designed our approach to support all participants by using our AI-powered tool to generate structured, role-specific interview questions aligned with job descriptions, creating a safe space for rehearsal and preparation. Advisors provide personalised coaching, building both competence and confidence in a supportive, low-pressure environment, ensuring every participant has the chance to demonstrate their potential.
Challenging assumptions and expanding horizons
Career Pathfinder does more than prepare participants for specific opportunities – it transforms how they see themselves in the employment landscape. Many jobseekers have limited career horizons due to past experiences or insufficient guidance about what’s achievable – this is particularly true for individuals with disabilities who face systemic barriers and outdated assumptions about their capabilities. By analysing existing experience through a fresh lens, our tool reveals transferable skills participants may not have recognised in themselves and suggests roles and career paths that might otherwise remain invisible. This isn’t just about filling positions – it’s about expanding possibilities and opening doors to meaningful, sustainable employment.
Delivering measurable impact
The impact of this integrated approach is already evident. During a six-month pilot in Nottingham involving 50 Employment Advisors working with Restart Scheme participants, Career Pathfinder contributed to a demonstrable increase in job starts. Building on this success, we are rolling out this tool across our entire Restart Scheme contract from early 2026, bringing these proven benefits to thousands more jobseekers.
Creating positive change across the system
Every successful transition from economic inactivity into employment strengthens local economies, reduces pressure on public services, and advances social inclusion. Accessible service delivery is not only the right thing to do – but it also delivers measurable benefits for individuals, communities, and the wider economy.
Purple Tuesday serves as an important reminder that accessibility must be embedded at the heart of employment service design – not treated as an add-on. As we integrate new technologies across our programmes, we will continue to follow a structured innovation model: piloting carefully, learning what works, and scaling only those solutions that deliver genuine impact.
Technology alone cannot close the disability employment gap, but combined with human expertise, empathy, and an unwavering commitment to inclusion, it has the power to transform employment services – and help thousands more people realise their potential.
