The new Posturite report, What’s the true picture of how employers are supporting neurodivergent staff?, draws on exclusive survey data from UK professionals across HR, health and safety, occupational health, wellbeing and inclusion roles. It provides one of the most detailed snapshots to date of how UK employers are managing neurodiversity support in practice.
The confidence gap
The findings expose a striking disconnect between provision and accessibility. Only 26% of respondents were confident or very confident that staff know who to contact for neurodiversity support – while 43% said they were not at all or only slightly confident. With line managers identified as the primary route for support requests by 79% of respondents, the report highlights a significant risk when those managers lack the tools, training or escalation guidance to respond effectively.
Andy Rigby, Neurodiversity and Disability Support Lead at Posturite (pictured), said: “Line managers are being asked to have some of the most sensitive conversations in the workplace, often without the training or processes to do it well. The data shows that manager capability isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s a core control point in any neurodiversity support pathway.”
Support is reactive, not proactive
The report also highlights that adjustment planning for new starters remains largely reactive. Just 10% of respondents said adjustments are typically in place before a new employee’s first day, and only 17% within the first four to six weeks. Nearly half of organisations rely on needs being identified through internal processes or only after an issue has been raised.
Ellice Whyte, accredited business psychologist and co-author of the report, commented: “Early adjustment planning isn’t just a process issue – it’s a trust issue. Not all new employees feel confident disclosing their needs at interview, so employers need to create the conditions where support feels safe to ask for from day one.”
Access to Work: valuable but frustrating
Half of respondents said their organisation uses the government’s Access to Work scheme regularly or occasionally, but the experience is far from smooth. Among those using the scheme, 45% described it as mixed and a further 25% as difficult or very difficult. Common frustrations include long lead times, delays in receiving reports and complex claim-back processes.
The report notes that the government’s own Keep Britain Working review, published in March 2026, acknowledged that Access to Work in its current form is not delivering effectively in practice, and that changes to the scheme may be forthcoming.
What the data says employers need most
When asked what would most improve current processes, respondents pointed firmly to practical capability-building: neurodiversity awareness training for line managers and teams (56%), Workplace Needs Assessments (42%) and diagnostic assessments (35%).
The report identifies five priorities for organisations looking to build more consistent support: creating clear support pathways, equipping line managers, making early adjustment planning routine, simplifying Access to Work navigation, and investing in infrastructure such as adjustment passports and approved assistive technology lists.
Download the report
What’s the true picture of how employers are supporting neurodivergent staff? is available to download now from the Posturite website.
HR professionals looking to discuss their organisation’s neurodiversity support approach can contact the Posturite Enablement team at [email protected].
