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UK Finance today releases a new report on the progress made by banks following the introduction of the Disability Finance Code for Entrepreneurship (DFCE) in December 2024, which aims to improve the entrepreneurial landscape for disabled individuals.
The Code sets out several commitments that signatories must make to further widen opportunities for disabled entrepreneurs, including:
Financial products and services must be designed with accessibility embedded from the outset.
Providing disabled founders with accessible and practical support, such as mentoring, networking events, finance readiness education, and business planning tools.
Showcasing success to highlight stories of disabled founders who have accessed finance and grown their businesses, helping to shift perceptions and build confidence across the ecosystem.
Ensuring disabled people are represented within their workforce.
Today’s report outlines the many initiatives and activities that banks have put in place to meet these commitments, including:
Establishing specific teams dedicated to disability inclusion, with a focus on tracking and supporting members who identify as having a disability.
Creating a Disabled Entrepreneurs Hub, offering tailored resources on funding and business support options, as well as a mentoring programme.
Supporting the development and career progression of colleagues with a disability whilst focusing on building a supportive and inclusive working environment.
David Raw, Managing Director of Commercial Finance:
I am delighted to introduce this report on the Disability Finance Code. It shines a much-needed spotlight on the critical work being done by financial services firms to unlock the full potential of a vital segment of our entrepreneurial community.
This report demonstrates the progress being made across the commercial finance sector in creating more opportunities for disabled entrepreneurs to access finance. Aligned with the government’s plan for growth, we are committed to continuing to champion these efforts, working collaboratively to build a future where every entrepreneur, regardless of disability, can realise their ambitions and contribute fully to driving innovation and growing the UK’s economy.
Gareth Thomas, Minister for Small Businesses said:
Through our Plan for Change, this government is committed to delivering further and faster economic growth. A key part of this is ensuring that those with the ambition to start and scale up a business have the right support to do so, no matter their background or circumstances.
Today’s report showcases some of the great work of DFCE signatories in supporting disabled entrepreneurs. It also recognises that while progress has been made, there’s more to be done by government, the finance sector and society, to ensure entrepreneurs from all backgrounds have the means to get into business.
The full report can be found here.
Signatories to the Code are Barclays, HSBC UK, Lloyds Banking Group, and NatWest.
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