Recruitment and disabled people

Skip contents

Encouraging applications

Your local Jobcentre Plus can help with:

  • making sure your application process is accessible
  • advising you about recruitment practices that open up jobs to disabled people
  • information about making reasonable adjustments that can help someone start or keep their job

Contact Employer Services, who will connect you to an employer adviser at your local Jobcentre Plus.

Employer Services

Telephone: 0800 169 0178
Textphone: 0800 169 0172
British Sign Language (BSL) if you鈥檙e on a computer - find out how to
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Find out about call charges

Apply for the disability confident scheme

Sign up as a disability confident committed employer. When you鈥檝e done this you can use the disability confident badge on adverts to show you encourage applications from disabled people.

Alternative formats

You must provide information about the vacancy in alternative formats (for example, large print) on request if this is reasonable. You must also accept applications in alternative formats (for example, electronically) where possible.

View a printable version of the whole guide

Part of Employ someone: step by step

  1. Step 1 Check your business is ready to employ staff

    1. Prepare your business to take on employees

  2. Step 2 Recruit someone

    You need to advertise the role and interview candidates. You can use a recruitment agency to do this or do it yourself.

    2. Find out about using a recruitment agency

    As an employer you must make sure you recruit employees fairly.

    1. Avoid discrimination during recruitment
    2. Make your application process accessible for employees with disabilities or health conditions

  3. and Check they have the right to work in the UK

    1. Find out how to check an applicant's right to work

  4. and Find out if they need a DBS check

    You may need to check someone's criminal record, for example, if they'll be working in healthcare or with children.

    1. Find out if you need a DBS check
    2. How to do a DBS check

  5. Step 3 Check if they need to be put into a workplace pension

    Check if you need to put your employee into a workplace pension scheme:

  6. Step 4 Agree a contract and salary

    When someone accepts a job offer they have a contract with you as their employer.

    1. Check what the National Minimum Wage is for different ages
    2. Check what the National Minimum Wage is for different types of work
    3. Check what to include in a contract
    4. Agree a written statement of employment particulars

  7. Step 5 Tell HMRC about your new employee

    You must tell HMRC about your new employee on or before their first pay day.

    1. Tell HMRC about a new employee
    2. Get their personal details and P45 to work out their tax code
    3. If you don鈥檛 have their P45, use HMRC鈥檚 鈥榮tarter checklist鈥�
    4. Check what to do when you start paying your employee