THE REALITY OF WORK FOR SELF-EMPLOYED DISABLED PEOPLE IN 2025
And why Access to Work and Disability Confident jobs still don’t go far enough
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The UK government is redesigning Access to Work, and right now,
self-employed disabled people are barely mentioned in the consultation.
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If you run your own business or work freelance and you're neurodivergent or disabled — this affects you.
WHY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS
The UK government is reviewing the Access to Work scheme – a vital support that helps disabled people fund the tools, support workers, and adjustments they need to work. But in the current consultation, self-employment isn't mentioned at all.
At The Technicolour Project, we work with neurodivergent entrepreneurs every day. We know that traditional employment often doesn’t work for us – and that self-employment can be a lifeline. But we also know it comes with barriers and costs that aren't always seen or understood.
We asked:
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What happens when disabled people lose Access to Work support?
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Are “Disability Confident” employers really offering flexible and inclusive work?
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And what support is missing for those of us building our own businesses?
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HERE'S WHAT WE FOUND.
WHAT OUR COMMUNITY TOLD US
We ran a survey in early 2025 for disabled and neurodivergent business owners who’ve used (or tried to use) Access to Work. Their stories say it all:
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“If I was in a wheelchair, they’d basically taken away the ramp that allowed me to access my work.”
— Anonymous respondent
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“It helped me stay consistent with the tasks that otherwise made my business unsustainable. Without it, I’d spiral fast.”
— Anonymous respondent
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“Helped me get an ADHD business coach! Which was honestly the best investment in my business and my brain I’ve ever had.”
— Jessie Gaffney
WHEN ASKED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THEIR SUPPORT WAS WITHDRAWN:
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70% said their mental health would be affected
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52% said they’d be financially insecure
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46% would have to give up their business growth plans
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24% said they would have to stop trading completely
THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT CONVENIENCE.
IT'S ABOUT SURVIVAL, SUSTAINABILITY, AND STAYING IN WORK.
WHAT'S MISSING FROM THE CURRENT SYSTEM?
✅ Support for self-employed disabled people
Access to Work can be brilliant — but it wasn’t designed for us, and it shows. Support is inconsistent, assessors don’t always understand business needs, and renewals are confusing or delayed.
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✅ Recognition that self-employment is a viable, valuable path
We’re not just adapting to survive. We’re building businesses that support others, generate income, and contribute to the economy. But we’re doing it with fewer safety nets, more admin, and higher costs.
WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE?
We believe that:
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1. Access to Work must be reformed with self-employment in mind.
Funding, assessments and delivery models should be tailored to disabled entrepreneurs, freelancers and business owners.
2. Disability Confident employers should be challenged to offer more flexible work.
That includes part-time, hybrid, and fully remote roles — across all sectors.
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3. Disabled business owners deserve to be included in policy.
We are not an afterthought. We are part of the future of work.
TAKE ACTION
✅ Respond to the government’s Access to Work consultation
We’ve put together a simple guide to help you. Even one answer from your perspective makes a difference.
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📢 Talk to your MP
We’ve drafted a letter you can send. Ask them to speak up about the need to include self-employed disabled people in this reform.
WE'RE NOT HERE TO BE GRATEFUL.
WE'RE HERE TO BE HEARD.
The current system expects disabled people to squeeze into jobs that weren’t designed for us.
Many of us have chosen another way — to create our own paths through self-employment.
But we shouldn’t have to do it without support.
Access to Work, and the wider employment landscape, must change to reflect the reality of how we work — not how others think we should.
WANT TO SHARE YOUR STORY?
If you're self-employed and disabled and want to make sure your experience is heard — I’d love to hear from you.
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I’m collecting stories and examples to feed into the consultation and future work I’m doing to advocate for people like us. I really want to amplify disabled and neurodivergent voices and stories.
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Your story can be as short or as detailed as you like. Everything you share is valuable. I won’t share your story without your express permission.