ActionAble Financial Services Roundtable – Appendix

1. Reasons to Commit

Customer Connections – UK Evidence

Increased Tax Revenues: By closing this gap and enabling disabled-led SMEs to match the turnover levels of their non-disabled counterparts, the review suggests this could yield nearly £14 billion annually in additional tax revenues for the UK Treasury. Lilac Review 2024
27% of people with basic bank accounts are those not in work due to long‑term sickness/disability FCA Financial Lives Survey 2024
Quote Example – do we have online customer quotes? “I have mobility and health issues. The branch not only has a lift, but they saw me immediately with no prior appointment. This means I can go when I feel able”. (Female, 65-74) & “My banks and my mortgage company have registered on my account that I have a chronic long-term condition, which helps them to tailor their help and advice and how they talk to me. I was impressed with this. It was offered without me asking. (Female, 45-54) from FCA Financial Lives Survey 2024

Customer Connections: Global/International Evidence

The cost of excluding people with disabilities represents up to 7% of GDP in some countries. Global Economics of Disability 2020
People with disabilities (PWD) are an emerging market larger than China, with an estimated population of 1.85 billion. Their friends and family add another 3.3 billion potential consumers. Together, the disability market controls over $13 trillion in disposable income. Global Economics of Disability 2020
“The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, and European Accessibility Act collectively establish a robust framework to enhance the inclusion and protection of persons with disabilities within the EU. Companies are required to implement comprehensive policies, conduct diligent risk assessments, and ensure product and service accessibility. Compliance will not only mitigate legal risks but also enhance corporate reputation and foster a more inclusive society.” 2025 Lit Review-Business Case for Disability Inclusion
People with disabilities in the US have nearly half a trillion dollars in disposable income (not including family and friends). Capitalising on this underutilised consumer base opens new doors for product development and market reach. Accenture The Disability Inclusion Imperative 2023
The total disposable income of people with disabilities in Europe and North America amounts to $2.6 trillion. Disability:IN (2025)
In the U.S. consumer market, the discretionary income for working-age people with disabilities is approximately $21 billion. Disability:IN (2025)
Businesses that lead in disability inclusion, as measured by the Disability Index, realise 1.6 times more revenue, 2.6 times more net income, and 2 times more economic profit than their less inclusive competitors. Disability:IN (2025)

Personal Productivity – UK Evidence

Deloitte research revealed that the cost to UK employers of poor mental health is £51bn per year (a decrease from £55bn in 2021, but an increase from £45bn in 2019). Deloitte 2024 Mental Health at Work
It is not just about the employees but also their families – 46% of parents are ‘very concerned’ or ‘somewhat concerned’ about their child’s mental health, and 29% named it as top worry. Deloitte 2024 Mental Health at Work
Presenteeism (people working despite illness but not performing at full ability) is the largest contributor to poor mental health costs, costing UK employers around £24bn annually. Deloitte 2024 Mental Health at Work

Personal Productivity – Global Evidence

With equal opportunity, people with disabilities can contribute between 3-7% of GDP. This broader economic contribution suggests a potential for growth and innovation when this demographic is fully included. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office 2022
The benefits of neuroinclusion shape a compelling case for change: neurodivergent professionals, when truly included, are up to 31% more proficient compared with neurotypical colleagues in the fastest-growing skills. EY Global Neuroinclusion at Work Study 2025
Technology is playing a major role in making work more accessible. EY global research found that:
- 80% of respondents said AI assistants improved their written communication
- 59% reported improved memory and recall
- 87% felt more productive when using AI at work
- 85% said AI helped them perform better overall

Tomorrow’s Talent – UK Evidence

Bridging the disability employment rate gap would mean an extra 2.4 million people in work. Reaching this target would boost the UK economy by £23 billion, improve public finances by £8 billion, and raise household incomes by £830 per year. Learning and Work Institute 2025
71% of employers believe employing disabled people has a positive impact on staff morale. This rose to around four in five among large employers (80%) Gov.UK Disability Confident Scheme Research Findings 2023

Tomorrow’s Talent – Global Evidence

Mounting skills gaps pose the greatest risk to business transformation, according to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025.
Its report also names the top 10 fastest-growing skills for the next five years, with a mix of skills from AI and big data, cybersecurity and technological literacy to creative thinking, curiosity, resilience, flexibility and agility topping the list. World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 .
On the list of in-demand skills, the neurodivergent professionals surveyed report high rates of expert or specialist proficiency on several, with leadership and social influence (49%) and curiosity and lifelong learning (45%) topping the list. EY Global Neuroinclusion at Work Study 2025
Seventy-nine percent of these neurodivergent professionals already use AI at work, with benefits including faster access to information and improved quality of work. EY Global Neuroinclusion at Work Study 2025
Identifying these AI power users and encouraging them to become AI champions could help the 88% of C-suite leaders who say speeding up AI adoption is a top priority in 2025 EY Global Neuroinclusion at Work Study 2025

2. Opportunities to Improve

Customer Connections – UK Evidence for lack of progress

According to the ActionAble Report, only 50% of session delegates felt their company was making a positive impact when asked if they were working to remove barriers for disabled customers. ActionAble Full Report 2025
61% of session delegates stated they did not understand the benefits of using technology for customers and colleagues with disabilities. ActionAble Full Report 2025
Only 50% of session delegates felt they were making a positive impact, when asked if their company was doing work to remove barriers for disabled customers. ActionAble Full Report 2025
Financial and Reputational Risk: Failure to comply with consumer duty can lead to significant regulatory fines, costly redress payments to customers, and severe damage to a firm’s reputation in a sector where trust is paramount
Quote “How do we solve the problem of customers having to repeatedly tell multiple firms, multiple times about their support needs, and having to waste hours and days of their lives. Inclusive design will help to an extent, but we still need firms to *work together* to make it easier for disabled customers to ‘Tell it Once’” ActionAble 2025 Delegate. ActionAble Full Report 2025
Quote: “Really struggled as a disabled person with banking when having to call them. There are so many stages to get through security, it’s hard for some disabled people to remember. I’ve explained several times that there needs to be something put in place for someone like me, but every time I call it’s the same experience over again and I hate it” (Female, 35-44) FCA Financial Lives Survey 2024

Personal Productivity – UK Evidence for lack of progress

69% of session delegates believed that only 0-49% of new starters received their necessary adjustments on day one. ActionAble Report 2025
30% of session delegates did not feel confident at all or only quite confident about creating workplace adjustments. ActionAble Report 2025
32% of session delegates felt that they didn’t know how to build a culture of trust. ActionAble Report 2025
66% of session delegates felt they did not feel confident or only quite confident in being able to find, select, and embed people with disabilities into their organisations. ActionAble Report 2025
55% of delegates said they did not provide tailored support for opportunities for talented employees with disabilities. ActionAble Report 2025
32% of session delegates felt they didn’t know how to build a culture of trust regarding engaging colleagues. ActionAble Report 2025
22% of session delegates expressed a lack of confidence regarding what their colleagues deemed most important about Disability Inclusion. ActionAble Report 2025
Nearly a third (31%) of the 5.6 million disabled people currently in work in the UK, are doing so part-time. Disability Policy Centre 2025

Personal Productivity – Global Evidence for lack of progress

Almost three-quarters (74%) of those respondents who have requested workplace accommodations have had at least one request rejected; and just under two in 10 had all their requests rejected. Of those who have had requests rejected, 41% say their employer gave cost as the justification and around three in 10 were told their request was unreasonable or too difficult to implement. 2025 Lit Review-Business Case for Disability Inclusion

Tomorrow’s Talent – UK Evidence for lack of progress

Almost three-quarters (74%) of those respondents who have requested workplace accommodations have had at least one request rejected; and just under two in 10 had all their requests rejected. Of those who have had requests rejected, 41% say their employer gave cost as the justification and around three in 10 were told their request was unreasonable or too difficult to implement. 2025 Lit Review-Business Case for Disability Inclusion
ONS notes that 22% of working-age adults in the UK are disabled. Yet employment rates among disabled individuals lag significantly behind their non-disabled peers. This employment gap persists despite clear evidence that many disabled individuals possess equal or higher levels of education and capability. ONS 2024
Scope UK, highlights that disabled people are nearly twice as likely to leave their jobs as non-disabled people (9% vs 5%), often due to negative attitudes, difficulty getting reasonable adjustments, inflexible working patterns, and sick pay/return-to-work issues. Addressing these directly impacts retention. Scope UK 2025
Only 25% of neurodivergent professionals feel truly included at work today. EY Global Neuroinclusion at Work Study 2025
66% of session delegates felt they did not feel confident or only quite confident in being able to find, select, and embed people with disabilities into their organisations. ActionAble Report 2025
55% of delegates said they did not provide tailored support for opportunities for talented employees with disabilities. ActionAble Report 2025
32% of session delegates felt they didn’t know how to build a culture of trust regarding engaging colleagues. ActionAble Report 2025
22% of session delegates expressed a lack of confidence regarding what their colleagues deemed most important about Disability Inclusion. ActionAble Report 2025
Nearly a third (31%) of the 5.6 million disabled people currently in work in the UK, are doing so part-time. Disability Policy Centre 2025
The “Part-Time Job Gap”: The Disability Policy Centre has estimated that to close the disability employment gap, the UK would need around 880,000 new part-time roles that are suitable for disabled workers. This figure alone underscores the demand for flexible work and the current market’s inability to meet it. Disability Policy Centre 2025

Tomorrow’s Talent – Global Evidence for lack of progress

There is limited variation in inclusion rates across different sectors and job levels, indicating the continued importance of regulatory, cultural and social factors in shaping the lived experience of neurodivergent professionals and access to support mechanisms. EY Global Neuroinclusion at Work Study 2025
Only 26% of neurodivergent professionals feel truly included at work in the Bank and Capital Markets sector. EY Global Neuroinclusion at Work Study 2025
Neurodivergent professionals working 100% in the workplace are up to 12x more likely to experience sensory distractions compared to those working remotely. EY Global Neuroinclusion at Work Study 2025
Workplace relations including microaggressions are the predominant driver of intent to leave for 74% of neurodivergent professionals. To the extent that 39% of surveyed neurodivergent professionals reported intending to leave their current job in the next 12 months. EY Global Neuroinclusion at Work Study 2025