Decline in remote roles threatens employment access for disabled workers: Study, ETHRWorldEMEA

A decline in remote job opportunities risks worsening unemployment among disabled workers and undermining workforce participation goals, according to a two-year study led by Lancaster University’s Work Foundation.

The Inclusive Remote and Hybrid Working Study found that access to home working remains critical for disabled job seekers, with more than 80% of working-age disabled respondents stating it was essential when searching for employment. Nearly half (46%) said they wanted to work remotely full time, with disabled women and carers showing an even stronger preference for fully remote roles.

However, employer trends are moving in the opposite direction. Analysis of Adzuna vacancy data revealed that only 4.3% of job advertisements in the 2024-25 financial year were fully remote, approximately half the 8.7% recorded during the pandemic peak in 2020-21. Growth in hybrid roles has also slowed, with just 13.5% of vacancies offering hybrid options.

The findings come as unemployment among disabled people rises faster than in the broader workforce. Official data for the three months to December showed 9.2% of disabled people were unemployed—double the national average of 4.4%—with 547,000 disabled individuals out of work, an increase of 110,000 compared with the previous year.

Researchers said remote work plays a significant role in enabling workforce participation, retention, and productivity. Among disabled employees working fully remotely, 64% reported positive effects on physical health, compared with 31% of those working remotely less than half the time remotely. Only 1.6% of respondents said they wanted to stop working from home altogether, while many preferred hybrid arrangements, including four days at home per week.

The study, based on interviews with more than 1,200 disabled workers and funded by the Nuffield Foundation, highlighted concerns that return-to-office mandates could limit employment opportunities for disabled talent. Researchers warned that access to flexible work can determine whether some individuals remain in employment at all.

Policy attention is also increasing. A recent House of Lords report urged ministers to prioritise remote and hybrid working policies to improve disabled people’s employment outcomes, reinforcing the growing workforce debate over flexibility, inclusion, and labour market participation.