Our Business Without Barriers hub features inspiring interviews with successful disabled entrepreneurs and personal accounts from employers who are helping to break down barriers to employment. Together with experts and leading organisations, we’re also helping you to make your workplace more inclusive and accessible with free advice, guidance and resources.
Key findings from our FSB member survey
![<center>[Image text] 23% of disabled people or those with a health condition have experienced discrimination or negative treatment</center>](https://www.fsb.org.uk/static/8c68f0f1-80b7-4798-aa87ee37ddedfab4/b9efa48e-8586-4c34-a9896a0e93faa498/image_gallery_88a7d5280ad36ac90440e3fe919afdd2/BWB-23.png)
![<center>[Image text] 34% of business owners report a decline in their mental health during the pandemic</center>](https://www.fsb.org.uk/static/fc11ae72-db43-4a63-99c2039a8008a7a7/image_gallery_88a7d5280ad36ac90440e3fe919afdd2/BWB-34.png)
![<center>[Image text] 25% of small business owners are disabled or have a health condition</center>](https://www.fsb.org.uk/static/17414d59-57ff-4351-a57ecbe243de458f/271efc3f-8178-4ad4-92ac9e6c04795a56/image_gallery_88a7d5280ad36ac90440e3fe919afdd2/BWB-25.png)
![<center>[Image text] 51% of small employers have employed a disabled person or someone with a health condition in the last 3 years</center>](https://www.fsb.org.uk/static/ff2d78c4-7fea-45ce-8e29d4831ae3cd0e/e11c2fae-0fea-45af-bfe7e9f12852eda0/image_gallery_88a7d5280ad36ac90440e3fe919afdd2/BWB-51.png)
![<center>[Image text] 52% have experienced a barrier due to their being disabled or having a health condition, such as being unable to commit to consistent hours, meet short deadlines, apply for financial support or get access to equipment</center>](https://www.fsb.org.uk/static/df68ef10-7be8-447e-bdc1c06f0c517cc6/d6046a02-9e79-4d84-94e9fbffd7a94b8e/image_gallery_88a7d5280ad36ac90440e3fe919afdd2/BWB-52.png)
![<center>[Image text] 54% of small business employers believe the government should cover SSP costs or should implement a full rebate for small businesses</center>](https://www.fsb.org.uk/static/79e918f0-705a-46ab-8cb4e41947bb7f17/image_gallery_88a7d5280ad36ac90440e3fe919afdd2/BWB-54.png)
![<center>[Image text] The cost of sickness absence last year for small business employers was £5bn</center>](https://www.fsb.org.uk/static/cb0360f2-70e7-4b09-9124d0f275145885/image_gallery_88a7d5280ad36ac90440e3fe919afdd2/BWB-5bn.png)
![<center>[Image text] 91% of small employers offer flexible working, rising to 97% of those who employ a disabled person or someone with a health condition</center>](https://www.fsb.org.uk/static/d1846ddf-5d6d-4ec3-bf71770ad5112a26/ba1f75e8-c4e5-499f-9346a0f17668d611/image_gallery_88a7d5280ad36ac90440e3fe919afdd2/BWB-91.png)
Webinars on demand
Watch our series of events designed to help you find support as a disabled entrepreneur, make your business more inclusive and support your staff
Make Your Business an Inclusive Workplace
Advice, support and guidance for people who want to improve employment opportunities and experiences for disabled people.
Make your business more accessible
In this final webinar in the series supporting FSB’s campaign, Business Without Barriers, we outline what is meant by accessibility, what the key areas of accessibility are, and how your business can be more accessible to disabled people.
Disabled Entrepreneurs – Support and Advice on starting and growing your business
Watch our webinar offering advice, support and guidance for people who are starting or growing a business with a disability.
Running your own business as a disabled entrepreneur
Disabled entrepreneurs are an essential part of the UK economy. While some choose self-employment because of a lack of appropriate employment prospects, there are many disabled entrepreneurs who have chosen self-employment to fill a gap in the market, to disrupt a sector, or simply to have control over their own time. Supporting disabled people to establish their own business is a key part of closing the disability employment gap.
Mark Esho MBE, Easy Internet Services and Easy Internet Solutions
After developing post-polio syndrome, Mark Esho MBE wanted to work flexibly and decided to turn his hobby into a successful business. Mark shares his journey and how he's supporting disabled people who want to start their own business.
Julian John, Delsion
Julian John is the managing director of Delsion, an inclusion-led people and development consultancy based in Wales. He shares his experience as a disabled entrepreneur and how he’s helping others to overcome barriers.
Hardeep Rai, Kaleidoscope Investments
When Hardeep Rai’s son was born with a severe disability, Hardeep was inspired to use his experience to support disabled entrepreneurs to build ideas that are investable.
Elizabeth Wilkinson, The Dyslexic Dyslexia Consultant
With over 20 years’ experience of working with employers to educate and raise awareness about dyslexia, Elizabeth Wilkinson, owner of The Dyslexic Dyslexia Consultant, shares her journey.
Access to Work
Access to Work is a discretionary grant scheme that provides personalised support to disabled people who are in employment or self-employment, including mental health advice and practical help.
Starting a business
From finance to marketing, get started with free advice and guidance from FSB to help you start and run your own business.
Are you an inclusive employer?
Smaller businesses have a critical role to play in delivering on the Government’s pledge to get one million more disabled people into employment by 2027. Hear from business owners who have experience with making reasonable adjustments and find advice from employment experts.
Fiona Campbell, Crazy Capers
Fiona Campbell is the Managing Director of Crazy Capers Ltd, a childcare provider based in Scotland. After facing difficulties finding employment due to her own disability, Fiona shares her experience as a Disability Confident employer .
FAQ: Employing disabled workers and people with health conditions
Hannah Thomas, employment solicitor at FSB Employment Protection, answers your frequently asked questions about employing staff who are disabled people and what you need to do as an employer.
Small business employment of disabled people
Becca Gooch, Policy Advisor at the Federation of Small Businesses, breaks down new research from the Business Without Barriers report into disability employment and explains FSB’s recommendations for Government.
Making your business accessible
Take steps to make your business more inclusive for customers and employees who are disabled people, whether you’re in a retail premises, working on the move, or doing business online.
Seven best practices for website accessibility
Learn about why it’s important for your website to be accessible to all, including the guidelines in place to promote inclusivity online and the steps you can take as a small business.
What is a reasonable adjustment?
Adam Grimwood, solicitor at FSB Legal Hub, explains what you need to know about the legal duty of reasonable adjustments, and shares how you can make your business premises more accessible for your customers.
Download a free accessibility audit template
We’re proud to be working with Leonard Cheshire who have kindly provided a free accessibility audit, which you can download to review how accessible your small business is.
Further support and advice
Whether you’re looking to start your own business or make your workplace more inclusive, we’ve curated a list of organisations across the UK offering support, information on grants, resources, training and more.
Join FSB today
Ready to get started? Join online now or chat to one of our Membership Advisors before taking the leap.
Join online
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Book a meeting
Arrange to meet your local membership advisor virtually or face-to-face, or simply give them a call to chat about joining FSB.
Speak to an Advisor
Speak to one of our team to learn more about how membership could help you and your business.
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