Government report on Neurodiversity in the Workplace now released

In January 2025, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) launched an expert independent panel to explore opportunities to improve the inclusion of neurodivergent people in the workplace. Building on the findings from the Buckland Review of Autism and Employment (February 2024), the Panel took a broader view to look at all forms of neurodiversity and identify evidence gaps, core hypotheses for exclusion from paid work, and mechanisms for change. Chaired by Professor Amanda Kirby and made up of leading academics in their field, the Panel relied on long-standing expertise and lived experience, alongside a call for formal evidence targeted at the academic community, to gather their findings and outline their recommendations to government and employers.

The Report published October 2026 makes recommendations to policymakers and employers on workplace inclusion for neurodivergent people, advocating for:

• the benefits of support in employment that is needs-led, not dependent on a diagnosis
• strengthening of existing disability employment policy
• further research to address gaps in the evidence base
• practical, evidence-based strategies to address common areas of challenge for neurodivergent employees
• the promotion of Universal Design principles as a framework for inclusive workplace practice.