New research from the Centre for Ageing Better reveals that disabled older workers are almost twice as likely to face negative treatment when applying for jobs or promotions compared to their non-disabled peers.
According to the study, 44% of disabled people aged 50 to 66 reported experiencing unfair treatment when seeking jobs or promotions in the past five years, compared with 25% of people in the same age group without disabilities.
The findings also show that age alone remains a significant barrier. More than two in three adults aged 50 to 66 (69%) believe being older is a disadvantage in the UK job market. This figure rises to three in four (75%) when disability or a long-term health condition is considered.
By contrast, only 6% of older adults believe disability or health conditions represent an advantage in the workplace, while just 11% think being over 50 is beneficial when applying for jobs.
The report highlights the economic cost of this exclusion. The UK has a 50% higher rate of economic inactivity due to illness among people aged 50 to 64 who want to work compared to Germany. Closing this gap would add around 192,000 older workers to the labour market, boosting GDP by an estimated £13 billion a year and increasing tax and national insurance revenues by £2.5 billion.
Key Recommendations
The Supporting Disabled Older Workers Project delivered by the Centre for Ageing Better and funded by the Columbia Threadneedle Foundation offers a series of policy and workplace recommendations. These include:
- Employers actively involving disabled older workers in shaping workplace policies and practices.
- Encouraging disabled workers to feel confident in sharing their needs, such as through the wider use of “adjustment passports.”
- Reforming Jobcentre Plus and the National Careers Service with specialist training in disability and age inclusivity.
- Commissioning further research into supporting “sandwich generations,” such as reforms to childcare and social care.
Voices from Experience
John Holme, a member of the Experts by Experience Steering Group, said:
“I hope the report will help show employers that older and disabled people can still offer real value in the workplace, especially when we are given the right support.”
Rebecca Lines, Project and Change Manager for Work at the Centre for Ageing Better, added:
“The UK labour market is failing disabled older people. Among people aged 50 to 64, the employment gap between disabled and non-disabled workers is more than 30 percentage points. Our research shows how age and disability discrimination often overlap, creating even deeper disadvantages.
“Disabled older workers told us they constantly face difficult decisions: whether to declare health conditions, how to ask for adjustments, and how to present themselves in a labour market that too often overlooks or undervalues them. This takes a toll on confidence, wellbeing, and long-term health.
“What is clear is that government and employers cannot tackle these barriers without working directly with disabled older workers. Their lived experience is essential to shaping solutions that work.”
Workplace Dissatisfaction
The report also highlights that disabled older workers experience lower levels of satisfaction in their jobs compared with non-disabled people aged 50 to 66. The gaps include:
- Pay and progression: 30% vs 40%
- Training and development: 39% vs 51%
- Roles and responsibilities: 51% vs 62%
- Line management: 43% vs 55%
Nearly two in five (39%) disabled workers in this age group said they did not feel their workplace was inclusive, compared with 23% of non-disabled workers.
