Disability Confident has three levels: Level 1 Committed, Level 2 Employer and Level 3 Leader. Employers join at Level 1 and progress in order; each accreditation lasts up to 3 years (2026 gov.uk guidance). It is the government’s voluntary scheme, run by the Department for Work and Pensions, to help employers recruit and keep disabled and neurodivergent staff.
The three levels at a glance
Each level builds on the one below it. The table below names what each level requires and how it is checked.
| Level | Name | What it requires | How it’s checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Committed | Sign up to five commitments (an inclusive, accessible recruitment process; promoting vacancies; offering an interview to disabled people; anticipating and providing reasonable adjustments; supporting any employee who becomes disabled or develops a long-term health condition to stay in work), and pick at least one action from a list of nine to carry out. | Self-declared when you sign up. |
| 2 | Employer | Provide evidence against the core actions across two themes: getting the right people for your business (recruit) and keeping and developing your people (retain), with at least one activity per theme. | A self-assessment you complete yourself. |
| 3 | Leader | The Level 2 self-assessment, plus showing you are employing disabled people. Reaching Leader restarts your three-year membership. | Independently validated by an outside body (an existing Leader or an organisation with disability-employment expertise). |
What the lists of levels usually leave out
The levels are sequential. You cannot start at Leader: every employer joins at Level 1 and must complete each level before moving to the next. The one thing that separates Level 2 from Level 3 is who checks the work. Level 2 Employer is a self-assessment you sign off yourself; Level 3 Leader is that same evidence validated by an outside body, such as an existing Disability Confident Leader. That external validation is the whole distinction between Employer and Leader.
Two more things worth knowing before you sign up. The scheme is voluntary and free – the guidance, self-assessments and resources cost nothing – and accreditation lasts up to 3 years, after which you renew. And it is a recognition scheme, not a legal accreditation: holding a Disability Confident badge does not replace your duties under the Equality Act 2010, including the duty to make reasonable adjustments.
Why the difference matters for your organisation
Knowing the ladder before you commit lets you set a realistic target. If you want a badge to signal intent to disabled candidates and families, Level 1 is a same-day sign-up. If you want the badge to carry external weight, plan for Level 3, where an outside validator confirms your evidence. Most employers reach Level 2 on their own and move to Leader once their practice is mature enough to stand up to scrutiny.
Start at gov.uk’s Disability Confident self-service guidance to sign up free of charge, which starts your Level 1 Committed accreditation.
Where the law comes from
Related
This page is general information, not clinical or legal advice.