New research from research unit Fraser of Allander Institute and charity Acorns to Trees has found that Scottish employers’ lack of understanding is limiting employment opportunities for folks with learning disabilities.

The research underlined five key themes which are holding employers back from hiring people with learning disabilities, including: a lack of knowledge leading to prejudice, a lack of prioritisation, a lack of intention and knowledge about how to recruit, not knowing where to start, and a perceived cost barrier.

While the study discovered that all companies surveyed, both large and small, said they were willing to hire someone with learning disabilities, their internal HR and management staff struggled to define a learning disability and half had never discussed how to make it happen.

A learning disability is a lifelong condition that means people may need support to understand new information, learn new skills, and cope independently. For instance, people with Down’s syndrome have some level of learning disability.

Employers identified several options for improvement, including the creation of learning resources and building networks where employers could learn from each other. Critically, employers in the research reported a willingness to pay for such resources if they became available.

According to the latest data from the Scottish Commission for People with Learning Disabilities (SCLD), of the 23,584 working-age adults with a learning disability known to local authorities across Scotland, only 4.1% were known to be in employment—considerably lower than national rate of 74.7% (via the Annual Population Survey, Jan-Dec. 2023).

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Speaking on the findings, Chirsty McFadyen, an economist at the Institute who leads on its learning disability employment work, said: “The findings from our latest report confirm that employers want to hire people with learning disabilities, but they need more information and support to do so. We’ve heard first-hand that people with learning disabilities make great employees when given the right support.

“As the Fraser of Allander has previously identified, there is evidence of what works when the right support is given to someone with a learning disability who is seeking employment, but replicating success at scale is a challenge.”