Artist Gayle Chong Kwan interrogates the history of the scientific canon in major new exhibition

The Great Instauration by British artist Gayle Chong Kwan takes over the Grand Gallery of the National Museum of Scotland for the duration of the Edinburgh Science Festival (4 – 19 April). 

Commissioned by Edinburgh Science Festival, Gayle Chong Kwan has created an art installation that brings together contemporary sculpture and reflections on science’s cultural legacy. 

Chong Kwan explored the theme rethinking scientific histories through research into scientific artefacts and archives across eight major collections and through speaking with communities. These included: National Museums Scotland, Wellcome Collection, Wellcome Collection at the Science Museum, Science Museum Collection Centre in Swindon, Royal Botanical Gardens Edinburgh, Surgeons Hall Museum Edinburgh, and community gardens in Edinburgh. 

Chong Kwan has explored the history of thescientific canon and the Scientific Enlightenment in Scotland,rethinking science’s stories and reframing who and what gets to be remembered. The artwork focusses in on Scotland’s complex historical connections with slavery, enslaved people, plant and botanical origins of medicine, the University of Edinburgh, medical infirmaries, the advent of geology, and scientific instruments. 

Installed in the Grand Gallery, The Great Instauration is an underground, upside-down world filled with forms hanging from railings and columns.

Large-scale sculptures of scientific instruments are transformed into fantastical roots, hanging fabrics of the geological strata of Edinburgh with archival and painted images, and steel plinths inscribed with lesser-known histories fill the space.

Chong Kwan connects exploitative and extractive histories, the scientific gaze, and roots, upturning the stories that shape our understanding of scientific knowledge and discovery. 

Chong Kwan’s research highlighted how we tend to think of science, the scientific method, scientific instruments, and the Scientific Enlightenment as bringing understanding and clarity – light to see things we did not understand. 

Dr Gayle Chong Kwan, Artist, said: “I am truly excited to present ‘The Great Instauration’, an installation in the Grand Gallery of the National Museum of Scotland that explores science as a culturally embedded process shaped by social history, power, and omission.

“I have been inspired by objects and narratives across multiple collections and museums, the history of the scientific canon, and the Scientific Enlightenment. 

“My research included scientific instruments, the botanical origins of medicine, and Scotland’s historical connections with slavery.

“I was interested in how we tend to think of the scientific method, scientific instruments, and the Scientific Enlightenment as bringing understanding. I have explored histories connected with the theodolite, microscope, thermometer, clock, chronometer, and the telescope. 

“The resulting three-dimensional, surreal sculptural and printed works act as forms of resistance. Developed through archival collage and painting, I was inspired by forms from microscopic slides and medical illustrations, and working through two-dimensional forms, redolent of flattened and sliced scientific specimens.

“The title ‘The Great Instauration’ refers to Francis Bacon’s 17th-century founding text on the scientific method, but this time as a contemporary call to restore and renew perspectives on the complex histories of science.” 

The Great Instauration will form part of the wider exhibition Science Under the Lens, where visitors can experiment with some of the instruments which inspired the installation, make their own versions to take home and play with the science of light. Younger visitors can use art to tell their own science stories, exploring how light works and the power of story in sharing information. 

There will be two tie-events linked to the installation: Exclusive Viewing: The Great Instauration(Sat 4 Apr) allows visitors to view the installation after hours followed by an in-depth discussion of the process with the artist and experts who assisted with research, and Artist Tour: Dr Gayle Chong Kwan(Fri 17 Apr), presented by Edinburgh Art Festival, where visitors join the artist for a guided tour of the artwork, as she speaks through the artist, material and research process that underpin the commission. 

World’s first and still one of Europe’s biggest science festivals, Edinburgh Science Festival takes over the city during the Easter break, between 4 and 19 April, with a wide range of workshops, talks, exhibitions and much more, aiming to inspire people of all ages to get hands-on with science.  

This year’s theme of Going Global reflects on science as a shared human story: connecting people across countries and continents, joined in scientific breakthroughs and failures, conducting experiments and sharing results.

The Festival goes global while also celebrating the local: universities, laboratories, hospitals, schools and cultural spaces.  

The Great Instauration has been commissioned by Edinburgh Science, developed with support from Creative Scotland through the Scottish Government’s Festivals Expo Fund, additional funding from the Henry Moore Foundation, and guidance and support from Edinburgh Art Festival, National Museums Scotland, Scottish International Storytelling Festival and Wellcome Collection. 

ESF 2026 A5 programme FINALDownload

Call for greater resourcing as spending to support vulnerable children in Scotland is slashed

  • Spending cut of £1,700 per pupil from 2014/15 for those identified with additional support needs (ASN) – 30.1 per cent cut over a decade.
  • The number of pupils identified with ASN has more than doubled (102 per cent increase) over the same period.
  • A cut of 240 in the number of specialist ASN teachers.

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), an alliance of leading providers of specialist care and education to vulnerable children and young people, has warned of a potential lost generation of children and young people with ASN, and urged greater resourcing for this group.

ASN includes the likes of autism, dyslexia and mental health problems, and the coalition has urged provision of support for this to be a central issue in the forthcoming Scottish Parliamentary election campaign. 

The call comes as new figures contained in a parliamentary answer to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Jenny Gilruth MSP, reveal that average additional support for learning (ASL) spend per pupil has been slashed by nearly a third (30.1 per cent) over the last decade.[1]This comes against a perfect storm of escalating numbers of pupils with ASN and cuts in support.

The SCSC is urging the Scottish Government to work with local authorities to increase funding to support the needs of vulnerable children and young people, including greater provision of specialist ASN teachers, educational psychologists, speech and language therapists, behaviour support staff and classroom assistants.

The figures highlight that average spending per pupil on ASL by local authorities in Scotland (primary, secondary and special education) has fallen from £5,504 in financial year 2014/15 to £3,804 in 2024/25 (based on 2024/5 prices). This amounts to an overall cut in spending of £1,700 per pupil, representing a 30.1 per cent drop.

This funding fall is against the backdrop of a 102 per cent increase over the same period in the number of pupils identified with ASN, from 140,501 to 284,448, amounting to 127,443 individuals. Those with ASNrepresent more than a third of all pupils (36.7 per cent).2

In parallel with this, there has been a cut of 240 in the number of specialists ASN teachers, from 3,077 in 2014 to 2,837 in 2024.3

A report from Audit Scotland has called on the Scottish Government and local authorities to fundamentally rethink how they plan, fund and staff additional support for learning as part of core school education in Scotland.4

In January 2026, the Scottish Government announced a national review into the provision of ASL, led by the former Chief Inspector of Education in Scotland, Janie McManus. This will look at how to strengthen delivery, including provision in schools, and how policy is translating into effective practice.5

A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “It is deeply concerning to see cuts to spending that support children and young people with ASN. While there is a record amount of spending in support of those with ASN, this is offset by a dramatic increase in the number of pupils affected, meaning that spending per pupil has been slashed.

“We urge all political parties to make provision for this group a central commitment in their election campaigns.

It is vital that the Scottish Government and local authorities increase resources to expand access to the likes of specialist ASN teachers, educational psychologists, and classroom assistants. Without this investment, we risk a lost generation of children with ASN missing out on the care and support they need, when they need.

“Additionally, proper resourcing is essential if we are to achieve genuine classroom inclusion and close the educational attainment gap. We therefore expect that the national review of ASL provision should address the critical issue of sufficient resourcing.

“The Scottish Government and local authorities must work together to ensure properly funded, consistent support across Scotland for children and young people with ASN — some of the most vulnerable members of our society.”

NOTES

[1] Scottish Parliament, Jenny Gilruth MSP Written Answer- S6W-43553, table 5, 20th February 2026. Available at: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/questions-and-answers/question?ref=S6W-43553

2 Scottish Government, Pupil Census 2025 supplementary statistics, table 1.5, 9th December 2025.

3 Scottish Government, Teacher census supplementary statistics 2024, table 6.7, 25th March 2025. Available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/teacher-census-supplementary-statistics/

4 Audit Scotland, Fundamental review needed of planning and resourcing of additional support for learning, 27th February 2025. Available at: https://audit.scot/news/fundamental-review-needed-of-planning-and-resourcing-of-additional-support-for-learning

5 Scottish Government, Delivering Additional Support for Learning, 15th January 2026. Available at: https://www.gov.scot/news/delivering-additional-support-for-learning/

Scottish Apprenticeship Week: Transforming lives

Equipping people with skills for the industries of the future

As Scottish Apprenticeship Week gets underway, First Minister John Swinney has highlighted the power of apprenticeships to equip the next generation with skills for future jobs and industries – helping grow the economy and tackle child poverty. 

The Scottish Government is investing around £198 million this year to support apprenticeships. This investment is supporting around 25,500 new Modern Apprenticeships in 2025-26 and more than 39,000 Modern Apprentices currently in training. The funding also supports 5,000 new Foundation Apprenticeships and more than 1,200 new Graduate Apprenticeships.

The First Minister said: “Young people are our greatest asset and we are firmly focused on equipping them with skills for the industries of the future. Scottish Apprenticeship Week is a great opportunity to recognise and celebrate how apprenticeships are transforming lives across the country.

“Apprenticeships play an important role in securing positive futures for more of our school leavers. With the wide range of good jobs and careers available, most young people will be able to find something that appeals to them.

“The high-quality, rewarding jobs and careers that apprenticeships offer can support young people to reach their potential and offer a route out of poverty. This in turn helps to lay the groundwork to give the next generation a decent start in life and reduce child poverty, which is my government’s highest priority.

“Investing in jobs and training for the future will also help create a workforce that has the skills needed to boost the public sector and businesses alike, benefitting Scotland’s economy now and for the future. That includes nurturing the skills required for the transition to net zero and other emerging industries.

“The Scottish Government will continue to work closely with industries and employers across the country to maximise the potential of apprentices, and ensure skills are being developed in the best way to help local and national economies to thrive.”

Further Education Minister @BenMacpherson presented the Apprentice of the Year Award at @SkillsDevScot’s annual awards ceremony last week.

The award was presented to Fraser Bruce, who was recognised for developing lifesaving technology for his employer.

Scottish Apprenticeship Week | Celebrating apprenticeships

Complicit: UK gives green light to US bomber flights from British bases

“The United States has requested permission to use British bases for that specific and limited defensive purpose. We have taken the decision to accept this request“

STARMER STATEMENT 1st MARCH

Yesterday, I spoke to you about the situation in the Gulf and explained that the United Kingdom was not involved in the strikes on Iran. That remains the case.

Over the last two days Iran has launched sustained attacks across the region at countries who did not attack them.

They’ve hit airports and hotels where British citizens are staying. 

This is clearly a dangerous situation. 

We have at least 200,000 British citizens in the region – residents, families on holiday, and those in transit. 

I ask all our people in the region to please register your presence and follow Foreign Office travel advice.  

I know this is a deeply worrying time and we will continue to do all we can to support you.

Our Armed Forces who are located across the region are also being put at risk by Iran’s actions.  

Yesterday Iran hit a military base in Bahrain, narrowly missing British personnel.

The death of the Supreme Leader will not stop Iran from launching these strikes. 

Their approach is becoming even more reckless – and more dangerous to civilians.

Our decision that the UK would not be involved with the strikes on Iran was deliberate.

Not least because we believe that the best way forward for the region and for the world is a negotiated settlement.

One in which Iran agrees to give up any aspirations to develop a nuclear weapon.

But Iran is striking British interests nonetheless, and putting British people at huge risk, along with our allies across the region. 

That is the situation we face today. 

Our partners in the Gulf have asked us to do more to defend them, and it is my duty to protect British lives.  

We have British jets in the air as part of coordinated defensive operations which have already successfully intercepted Iranian strikes. 

But the only way to stop the threat is to destroy the missiles at source – in their storage depots or the launchers which used to fire the missiles.

The United States has requested permission to use British bases for that specific and limited defensive purpose. 

We have taken the decision to accept this request – to prevent Iran firing missiles across the region, killing innocent civilians, putting British lives at risk, and hitting countries that have not been involved.

The basis of our decision is the collective self-defence of longstanding friends and allies, and protecting British lives.

That is in accordance with international law. And we are publishing a summary of our legal advice.

We are not joining these strikes, but we will continue with our defensive actions in the region.

And we will also bring experts from Ukraine together with our own experts to help Gulf partners shoot down Iranian drones attacking them.

I want to be very clear: we all remember the mistakes of Iraq. 

And we have learned those lessons. 

We were not involved in the initial strikes on Iran and we will not join offensive action now.

But Iran is pursuing a scorched earth strategy – so we are supporting the collective self-defence of our allies and our people in the region. 

Because that is our duty to the British people.

It is the best way to eliminate the urgent threat and prevent the situation spiralling further.

This is the British government protecting British interests and British lives.

St John’s Hospital opens annual volunteer recruitment drive

NHS Lothian is now accepting applications for volunteers to join its team at St John’s Hospital in Livingston.

New volunteers, of all ages, will join a team of over 100 at the hospital who support patients through a variety of roles including Ward Helpers, Ward Visitors, Welcome Guides, Meaningful Activity Volunteers, Outpatient Department (OPD) Assistant Volunteers, Volunteer Drivers for Marie Curie, Therapet Visit Support Volunteers and more. 

Agnes Ritchie, Associate Nurse Director in St John’s Hospital, said: “Volunteers are a valued part of the St John’s team – they provide incredible support to both staff and patients, making a difference to people’s lives through their daily acts of kindness, care and compassion.”  

Claire Garton, Voluntary Services Manager, West Lothian said: “Volunteering offers a chance to build your skills, knowledge and experience while also giving back to your community.

“Our volunteers always tell us that their roles are fulfilling, and they make great friends along the way. We are looking for volunteers from many ages and backgrounds and look forward to welcoming you to ‘Team St John’s’.”

Ola, who is originally from Nigeria, moved to the UK in 2023 and started volunteering as a Ward Helper in St John’s. She explains: “I became a volunteer because I wanted to learn more and gain experience in healthcare.

“NHS Lothian felt like the right place to start because of its strong values and commitment to patient care. Volunteering has helped me grow in confidence and strengthen my communication and teamwork skills. I’m proud to play a small part in supporting patient recovery.”

Joe, from West Lothian has been in post as a Ward Visitor Volunteer since June 2023 alongside his full time role. He said: “I came into this role wanting to help others, but I didn’t expect how much it would change me.

“Sitting at the bedside of patients from all walks of life has fostered a deeper sense of empathy, patience, and gratitude. Each conversation, whether light-hearted or deeply personal, serves as a reminder of the importance of human connection.”

To find out more about the volunteer opportunities available across West Lothian visit: https://www.nhslothian.scot/getinvolved/volunteering/volunteering-opportunities/

Recruitment opened on Wednesday 25 February and close on Monday 9 March. For an informal chat and to find out more, contact Claire Garton, Voluntary Services Manager at St John’s Hospital on 01506 523 588.

Delivery must be at the heart of the Scotland’s Climate Change Plan, says Holyrood Committee

Concrete policies backed by clear targets and timelines must be at the heart of the Scottish Government’s Climate Change Plan, says Holyrood’s Net Zero Committee.

In its report published this week, the Committee says that key policies must also state clearly who will lead on delivery and, wherever possible, be costed.

A clear and accessible system to monitor progress will also be vital to catch policies and interventions at risk of going off track.

The report highlights the Plan’s reliance on electrification for delivery across many sectors. The Committee calls on the Scottish Government to work with the UK Government and other UK administrations on a joint plan of action for more affordable electricity.

The report also identifies areas of potential risk in plotting a pathway to net zero emissions, either because the Scottish Government is dependent upon others for key actions or because they have set ambitions that look stretching. These include, for example, a quite fast-paced switchover to electric vehicles; decarbonising Scotland’s homes; and using negative emissions technology at scale over the next decade to abate hard to decarbonise areas.

The Plan sets out how the Scottish Government intends to meet emission reduction targets across all portfolio areas and sectors of the economy. It covers the period 2026-2040 as Scotland looks to be ‘net zero’ in carbon emissions by 2045.

10 committees took part in the Scottish Parliament’s scrutiny of the draft Plan. Leading the cross-parliamentary effort, the Net Zero, Energy & Transport Committee considered the draft as a whole; including governance, monitoring, and fiscal arrangements; as well as three sectors relevant to its remit; energy supply, transport and waste.

Convener of the Net Zero, Energy & Transport Committee, Edward Mountain MSP, said: “Scotland has lost momentum in reaching net zero and a new Climate Change Plan is the key opportunity for a reset. The Plan must be focused on delivery, with credible proposals and clear lines of accountability for each major policy.

“There are some good aspects to the draft Plan but it often falls short, with insufficient detail on key policies and the mechanisms to achieve specific outcomes, or on costs and who they will fall on.

“Public engagement is central to net zero delivery as it requires actions at a household level. People rightly want assurances that changes they are being asked to make are affordable and sensible. We reached out to the public and to grassroots community groups as widely as we could, within the time we had.

“Getting the Plan right also means the Scottish Government must listen to industry, NGOs and scientific experts, as well as the Parliament.“The Scottish Government has given itself a maximum of just three weeks to reflect on our recommendations and its own public consultation. This is not good practice. It lowers confidence that consultation is meaningful and will help shape the new Plan. It must not happen again.”

The Scottish Government has committed to publishing its final Climate Change Plan in advance of the dissolution of Parliament for the 2026 election.

Key committee recommendations:

In their reports, Committees highlighted a range of issues including, for example:

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

In relation to energy supply, transport & waste:

  • Proposals to decarbonise the transport sector are heavily reliant on EV switchover, with challenges around affordability and convenience of charging etc. The Scottish Government holds only some of the levers in this area. This poses a risk that should be monitored carefully. The Plan should encourage EV uptake but have more measures to enable less car usage.
  • Placing a high level of reliance on negative emissions technologies, a developing technology that is untested at scale, is a significant delivery risk that will require careful monitoring and reappraisal in the light of new evidence and data.
  • Ambitions on electrifying and decarbonising the freight sector look unrealistic, with insufficient detail on delivery.
  • Revised projections for emissions from energy from waste are required in light of the recent delay in banning biodegradable waste going to municipal landfill.

Read the Net Zero, Energy & Transport Committee’s report

Rural Affairs & Islands Committee
  • The agriculture emissions pathway in the draft Plan was unclear due to a lack of clarity around the sector’s reform plans and the absence of a Rural Support Plan (RSP).
  • The final Plan must show how RSP policies will deliver sectoral emissions targets and the next Parliament must scrutinise the links between the RSP, wider reform programme and the Plan, to ensure sufficient leadership and ambition for the sector.
  • While the draft CCP signals strong long-term ambition for forestry and peatland, it should also set out how sites will be prioritised – using spatial analysis or mapping – and provide clearer detail on long-term financing, including the Scottish Government’s position on multiannual funding.

Read the Rural Affairs & Islands Committee’s report

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee
  • The Committee is concerned that the projected rates of heat pump installations will not sufficiently scale up by 2030 in order to put Scotland on course to reaching the 2045 target. There needs to be national leadership from the Scottish Government in partnership with the UK Government to deliver this through a coherent delivery plan.
  • Having sufficient numbers of trained tradespeople to deliver retrofitting is clearly critical, and the Scottish Government should set out a plan as to how a recognised skills gap will be addressed, particularly in rural areas where the skills shortage is greater, and with a focus on supporting SMEs to grow their retrofit workforce.

Read the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee’s report

Economy and Fair Work Committee
  • The Plan needs to include more information, be clearer on the priority of actions and involve workers and professional bodies. If not, there’s a real risk we repeat past mistakes, with industries closing and skilled workers leaving Scotland to find jobs elsewhere.
  • The Committee calls for a change in the way electricity prices and charges are set. Until this is addressed, it warns against adding new requirements for industries to cut emissions, as this too could risk more closures and job losses.

Read the Economy and Fair Work Committee’s letter sent to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee (246KB, pdf)posted 02 February 2026

Other Committee correspondence 

Read the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee’s letter sent to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee with further findings due to be published shortly (136KB, pdf)posted 30 January 2026

Read the Criminal Justice Committee’s letter sent to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee (97KB, pdf)posted 08 December 2025

The Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee sent two letters to the letters the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee:

Read the letter sent on 9 December 2025 (121KB, pdf)posted 15 December 2025

Read the letter sent on 23 January 2026 (158KB, pdf)posted 26 January 2026

Read the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs & Culture Committee’s letter sent to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee (217KB, pdf)posted 26 January 2026

Read the Social Justice & Social Security Committee’s letter sent to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee (117KB, pdf)posted 01 December 2025

Read the Public Audit Committee’s letter sent to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee (192KB, pdf)posted 07 November 2023.

Monday Breakfast Cafe at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre

☕ We’re back this Monday!

Join us at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre for our weekly Monday Café – the perfect way to start the week with good food, hot drinks, and friendly chat.

🥞 Breakfast rolls (sausage, fried egg, tattie scones) and some delicious home baking!

☕ Tea & coffee

💬 A warm welcome for everyone

📅 Monday

⏰ 9–11am

Decline in remote jobs could undermine Government plans to get Britain working, research warns

  • Findings from the UK’s largest mixed‑methods study of disabled remote and hybrid workers show that 85% of respondents say access to homeworking is essential or very important when looking for a new job
  • Nearly half (46%) of the participants in the Inclusive Remote and Hybrid Working Study want to work remotely all the time, with disabled women and disabled carers more likely to want to work fully from home 
  • However, analysis of Adzuna job vacancy data shows declining levels of remote job opportunities. In 2024/25, only one in 23 job adverts on Adzuna (4.3%) were fully remote – half the level seen during the pandemic peak of 8.7% in 2020/21
  • Growth in the availability of hybrid jobs appears to have stalled, with only one in seven (13.5%) job vacancies offering hybrid work in 2024/25
  • Researchers warn a shortage of suitable jobs could undermine the Government’s ambition to get Britain working, and echo a recent House of Lords call for Ministers to ensure remote and hybrid working is being prioritised to boost disabled people’s employment.

The Government’s plan to get people working could face a significant challenge as remote-only job opportunities decline, warn researchers behind the largest study of disabled workers experiences of remote and hybrid working in the UK.

Research shows that almost half (46%) of 1,221 survey participants wanted to work remotely all the time, yet the numbers of remote jobs in the UK have decreased drastically since the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, with 50% fewer remote only roles advertised compared to 2020/21.

As part of the largest study of disabled workers’ experiences of remote and hybrid work in the UK – conducted by researchers from Lancaster University, the Work Foundation at Lancaster University, Manchester Metropolitan University, and Universal Inclusion, and funded by the Nuffield Foundation – researchers studied job vacancy data from global job platform, Adzuna.

Remote and hybrid working remain more common than before the pandemic, but growth is slowing. In the year to April 2025, 17.8% of UK vacancies offered either fully remote (4.3%) or hybrid roles (13.5%), up from 3.1% pre-pandemic. However, fully remote jobs have fallen sharply since their peak, and growth in hybrid roles has stalled.

Dr Paula Holland from Lancaster University, who led the research, said: “The increased availability of remote and hybrid working since before the pandemic has improved many disabled people’s experience of work.

“Our findings indicate disabled employees gain significant benefits including improved mental and physical health, better work-life balance and increased productivity.

“However, companies mandating returns to the office have seen remote-only opportunities plummet. This could prevent some disabled workers from returning and staying in work. At a time when the Government wants to get people working, access to suitable homeworking roles can be the difference between working or not working.”

At a time when the Government wants to get people working, disabled workers report that access to suitable homeworking roles can be the difference between working or not working.”

Homeworking can support disabled workers, but only if done well

The UK Government has committed to supporting more disabled people to remain in or return to work as part of its wider efforts to boost employment by two million people to an 80% employment rate.

Disabled people currently represent one in four workers in the workforce, but the disability employment gap – the difference between the employment rates of disabled and non-disabled people  – remains at 29.8 percentage points.

A UK Government study indicates remote work could support people out of work claiming health and disability benefits. One in four respondents (25%) who said they are currently unable to work stated that they could do so if they worked remotely.

The recent House of Lords Home-based Working Inquiry called on the Government to set out whether remote and hybrid working are being considered as part of existing initiatives to support people who are disabled or have long-term health conditions back into work.

The final report of the Inclusive Remote and Hybrid Working Study highlights remote and hybrid working as a key part of the solution to improving employment outcomes for disabled people. Key findings include:

·        64% of fully remote disabled workers said their work pattern positively affected their physical health, compared to 31% of those working remotely less than half the time

·        46% of participants wanted to work remotely all the time. There was also demand for hybrid working: 25% wanted to work from home four days a week and 27% for three days or less. Only 1.6% wanted to stop working from home

·        Women, carers and people with multiple or severely limiting impairments/health conditions were particularly likely to report they only wanted to work from home

·        85% of participants said that having access to remote/hybrid working would be essential or very important if looking for a new job. 79% would not apply for a job without remote options

·        Black and ethnic minority workers and less affluent workers were significantly less likely than white or more affluent workers to report remote/hybrid working had positive outcomes for their health and employment.

Dr Paula Holland continues, “Remote and hybrid working can benefit both employees and employers. The organisations we interviewed reported improved staff retention and recruitment as a result of implementing remote working policies including reduced sick leave and improved wellbeing.

“However, employers must ensure disabled workers have the resources and support they need. Over half of survey participants reported reasonable adjustments to support working from home had not been implemented, and black and ethnic minority workers reported significantly less positive outcomes.”

Rebecca Florisson, Principal Analyst, from the Work Foundation at Lancaster University commented: “For many disabled workers, homeworking isn’t a ‘nice to have’ – it’s essential to be able to enter into, and remain in work.

“Our research shows strong demand for remote and hybrid work among disabled people, yet fully remote job vacancies have halved since the pandemic and growth in hybrid jobs has stalled.

“If the Government is serious about getting Britain working, it must make sure the right jobs are available by expanding access to flexible work. Threats to cut disabled people’s welfare will not support them into work if the jobs they need simply aren’t there.”

Amongst its recommendations, the study calls on the UK Government to:

1.     Expand access to remote and hybrid jobs by making these and other forms of flexible working a core part of efforts to increase disabled people’s employment, including through clearing Access to Work backlogs

2.     Encourage employers to advertise flexibility upfront, including remote and hybrid options, particularly on the DWP’s Find a Job portal.

3.     Address regional inequalities in access to hybrid work through the Government’s Industrial Strategy.

4.     Strengthen reasonable adjustments, ensuring employers properly consider remote and hybrid working and meet their duties under the Equality Act 2010.

5.     Improve accountability, including requiring large employers to report on outcomes for disabled workers.

Simon, a graphic designer from Derby who has Long Covid, works in a fully remote job for a design agency. He said, “Remote work lets me work. I have chronic fatigue, post-exertional malaise (PEM), and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (PoTS).

“Walking a short distance or going up the stairs can really exhaust me. Because I’m energy-limited, I need to budget my energy, pace myself and regularly lie down to rest.

“The adaptations I need are not so much equipment, but the ability to be able to take regular breaks throughout the day, where I can rest and recharge. Homeworking is much more tailored to my needs than being in the office.

“I can make the most of my working hours without a commute, so that means I have much more energy available to use for work itself. I’d find the commute to the office exhausting.

“Remote work has been a lifeline and my employer has been very supportive. Despite my health challenges, I’m just as productive working from home as I was at the office.”

Rebecca from Merseyside is a business manager in the public sector on a temporary fixed-term contract. She is autistic and has ADHD with comorbid anxiety and depression, she said, “I’ve been remote-only since 2020.

“I got an occupational health recommendation for permanent homeworking. The lack of external disruption allows me to better manage my condition.”

She has been looking for a new job for over 20 months, as she is on a temporary fixed-term contract. Rebecca continues: “I would be waiting forever if I only searched for homeworking roles.

In the last year, I’ve been offered four jobs but three have been withdrawn upon receipt of my occupational health recommendation.”

She has now accepted a new permanent full-time home-working contract at a lower salary than her current role, as she doesn’t believe she’ll find another homeworking job at her existing level that meets her needs.

Vera, from London, is in her twenties and works remotely for a healthcare company. Following stem cell treatment for her multiple sclerosis (MS), she was unable to return to a frontline role.

A recent study by the Work Foundation and the MS Society found that nearly half of people with MS (47%) look for job locations that require little or no travel.

“Remote work has made it possible for me to stay in employment — without it I couldn’t work,” she says. “While I’ve reduced my hours to four days a week, working from home means I can manage cognitive fatigue and rest during lunch breaks so I can stay productive.

“But I feel stuck, as there are so few remote-only roles. These are realistically the only roles I can apply for if I want to keep working and progress in my career.”

The report ‘Breaking down barriers: How remote and hybrid work can support disabled workers’ is published at: 

https://wp.lancs.ac.uk/inclusive-working/ 

and 

https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundation/breaking-down-barriers.