Employment facts and stats 2020
Issues faced around employment represent one of the biggest barriers to equal participation for blind and partially sighted people.
This report lays out key evidence based on responses from blind and partially sighted people about these issues. For further information on the statistics, please view the rest of our employment research here.
Key findings
- The employment rate is 76% in the general population, 51% amongst the disabled population excluding sight loss and 27% for people registered blind and partially sighted.
- The most common barriers given by blind and partially sighted people to gaining work are related to employer attitudes and processes citing inaccessible recruitment processes (36%); poor employer attitudes (35%) and; poor employer support (32%).
- 60% of employers said that they would be willing to make adaptations in order to employ a blind or partially sighted person. Despite obligations under the Equality Act to make adjustments, 23% said they would not be willing.
- 25% of employers agreed that all managers and supervisors in their business have the knowledge to support and manage people who are blind or partially sighted, while 61% disagreed.
- More promisingly, 70% of employers said they would be confident in having conversations with employees who are blind or partially sighted about their sight and what support they needed.
To find out more you can download the full report below.