Information for applicants

Disability Confident Interview Scheme

What is the Disability Confident Interview Scheme?

We are a Disability Confident Employer and are committed to creating an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment process. Applicants who choose to apply through the Disability Confident Interview Scheme, and who meet the minimum criteria for the role, will be offered an interview*.

Who can apply under the scheme?

The scheme applies to both internal and external vacancies. It is for individuals who have a disability, learning difference, or long-term health condition, as defined by the Equality Act 2010. This includes (but is not limited to) physical disabilities, sensory impairments, mental health conditions, neurodivergence, and long-term medical conditions.

You do not need to provide medical evidence to opt in. By opting in, you are confirming that you have a disability for the sole purpose of being considered under the interview scheme.

What do we mean by “disability”?

Under the Equality Act 2010, a disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

• You will not be asked to provide details of your disability or long-term health condition.
• You will not be required to submit evidence to apply through the scheme.

By opting in, you are simply confirming that you consider yourself to have a disability for the purposes of this interview guarantee. This disclosure will not be used in any other way.

What do we mean by “minimum criteria”?

Each vacancy lists both essential and desirable criteria.

• Essential criteria are those you must meet to be considered for the role.
• Desirable criteria are those which strengthen your application but are not critical.

To be guaranteed an interview under the scheme, you must demonstrate in your application that you meet the essential criteria outlined in the job description.

How do I opt in?

The application form includes the option: “If you wish to be considered under the Disability Confident interview offer, please tick here.”

Please note: ticking “Yes” to having a disability on the Equality and Diversity form does not automatically mean you wish to opt in. You must actively select the scheme to be considered.

What if I need reasonable adjustments?

We want to make sure our recruitment process is fully accessible. If you need any adjustments, please indicate this when you apply and let a member of the hiring team know. If you are invited to interview, we will contact you to discuss how we can best support you.

Examples of possible adjustments include:

• Scheduling your interview at the most accessible time
• Allowing a support worker to attend with you
• Providing communication support
• Adapting tests or selection exercises (e.g. additional time or alternative formats)
• Providing paper or telephone application options

What counts as reasonable will depend on individual circumstances. We will always consider whether an adjustment is practical, whether it reduces the barrier, and whether it is affordable.

How do we manage high volumes of applications?

In cases where we receive a very high number of applications, it may not be practical to interview everyone who meets the minimum criteria.

In these situations, we will invite the disabled candidates who most strongly meet the criteria.

What is “most strongly”? 

“Most strongly” means that, based on your application, your skills, knowledge, and experience align most closely with the essential requirements for the role.

*Are there any exceptions?

In some circumstances, such as when there is a very high volume of applications, it may not be practicable to interview every disabled applicant who meets the minimum criteria. In such cases, we may need to prioritise and select the disabled candidates who most strongly meet the essential requirements.

To work in the UK you are required to be a UK citizen, or an EC/EEA national. Commonwealth citizens and foreign nationals with no restrictions on their stay in the UK may also work subject to visa restrictions/status.

Husbands, wives and dependent children of people who hold a work permit or certificate of sponsorship may be permitted to work as long as their visa/biometrics card places no restriction on employment in the UK.

If you do not meet any of these criterion, then you will require a Certificate of Sponsorship or authorisation from the UKBA e.g. Tier 1, international student visa in order to take employment.

For some job vacancies requiring specific skills we may consider issuing a Tier 2 Certificate of Sponsorship if you are suitably qualified (provided a Resident Labour Market test has been carried out and no suitable settled worker  can be appointed) as part of the process of obtaining permission to work in the UK from the UK Border Agency (UKBA).  

Normally, Tier 2 sponsorship will normally only be offered for academic and research roles.

You can check whether you would be eligible to work in the UK under the points-based system for migrant workers using the points based system.

The aim of this policy is to state our approach towards employing people who have criminal records. This policy should be read in conjunction with the policy on the Secure Storage, Handling, Use, Retention & Disposal of Disclosures and Disclosure Information (available on request).

We are committed to equality of opportunity for all job applicants and aim to select people for employment on the basis of their individual skills, abilities, experience, knowledge and, where appropriate, qualifications and training.

We will consider ex-offenders for employment on their individual merits. Our approach towards employing ex-offenders differs, however, depending on whether the job is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

We will not automatically refuse to employ a particular individual just because he/she has a criminal record.

When applying for a job, we will ask you to disclose any unspent convictions, but will not ask you questions about spent convictions, nor expect tyou to disclose any spent convictions.

If you have a conviction that is not spent and if the nature of the offence is relevant to the job you have applied for, we will review the individual circumstances of the case and may decline to select you for employment.

If an employee is convicted during the course of their employment, it will be their responsibility to notify us. If the nature of the offence is relevant to their job, we will review the individual circumstances of the case and may terminate their employment through the appropriate disciplinary procedure.

If the job vacancy is one of the excluded jobs listed in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975, we will require you to disclose all convictions, whether spent or unspent. Even in these circumstances, however, we will not refuse to employ you unless the nature of the conviction has some relevance to the job role.

If the job is exempt, we will ask for evidence about your criminal convictions. We will ask for your agreement to make a joint application to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) for an enhanced disclosure. In the event that you decline to disclose spent convictions or do not wish to participate in an application for an advanced disclosure they, you not be further considered in the process. A copy of the DBS Code of Practice is available on request.

We are committed to ensuring that all information provided about an individual's criminal convictions, including any information released in disclosures, is used fairly and stored and handled appropriately and in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998. Data held on file about an individual's criminal convictions will be held only as long as it is required for employment purposes and will not be disclosed to any unauthorised person.

November 2006