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<p>The Government is strongly committed to working with employers to improve their
approach to employing disabled people, including those with autism. For example:</p><p>
</p><ul><li>The Disability Confident scheme is engaging with employers, offering advice
and support to help employers feel more confident about employing disabled people.
Over 10,000 businesses have signed up to the Disability Confident scheme since it
was launched in November 2016</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Access to Work has a Hidden
Impairment Specialist Team that gives advice and guidance to help employers support
employees with conditions such as Autism, Learning Disability and/or Mental Health
conditions. It also offers eligible people an assessment to find out their needs at
work and help to develop a support plan.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>The Disability Passport
‘About Me’ aims to encourage disabled claimants, including individuals with autism,
to disclose their disability/ health conditions at the earliest stage to their Adviser,
to improve communication and ensure reasonable adjustments are put in place. The passport
is hosted on Autism Alliance’s website.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>The Disability Confident
Autism and Neurodiversity Toolkit was developed with support from disabled people
with neuro-diverse conditions, medical professionals and disability organisations
such as Autism Alliance UK and Autism Plus. It is designed to help to raise awareness
and understanding, within DWP and across the wider Civil Service, about Autism Spectrum
Disorders and neuro-diverse conditions.</li></ul><p> </p><p>We have not made any assessment
of the effect of these policies and initiatives on employers’ skills and knowledge
in respect of employing people with autism in particular.</p><p> </p><p>Overall, the
number of working age disabled people in employment in the UK reached around 3.9 million
in Q3 2018. This was an increase of 123,000 since Q3 2017, and an overall increase
of 973,000 since Q3 2013, the earliest comparable figure.</p><p> </p>
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