Councils lead the way in disability representation

Published 26 January 2026

Two Oxfordshire councils are leading the way in disability representation by achieving the highest level of national accreditation for inclusivity and accessibility.

South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils have achieved the Level 3 Disability Confident Leader status. This is the highest level of accreditation offered by the Disability Confident scheme, highlighting the councils’ focus on inclusive employment and workplace accessibility.

The Disability Confident scheme, run by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), encourages employers to recruit and support disabled people both in the workplace and across the local community. As of December 2025, only 59 councils across the UK had achieved this status, reflecting our strong commitment to disability inclusion.

For the councils to achieve this status they had to go through an independent assessment and validation process with the DWP, who praised the high level of dedication and expertise of council staff. This assessment recognised that the councils have shown significant commitment to reasonable adjustments, employee support and inclusive recruitment practises.

One of the external validators for the accreditation commented: “I was extremely impressed by the enthusiasm, commitment and passion shown by the team at South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils […] I strongly believe the councils are among the leaders in the county for disability inclusion and support, with significant influence and opportunity to lead by example across Oxfordshire.”

Cllr Maggie Filipova-Rivers, Leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “I am delighted that the council has achieved the Disability Confident Leader status, as this independent assessment ensures we are not marking our own homework. Achieving this status is a significant milestone for the council as it strongly reflects our values of equality, inclusion and accessibility. Through this achievement, we will continue to challenge barriers and ensure that our council truly reflects and serves our community.”

Cllr Bethia Thomas, Leader of Vale of White Horse District Council, said: “This new status reflects the pride we take in our inclusive workforce, and in our inclusive employment practises. This is an incredibly important achievement, but we must commit to continue to champion disability inclusion and support. I am incredibly proud that we have created a workplace where disabled people are fully supported, and realise we must lead by example by promoting these inclusive policies and procedures across Oxfordshire.”

The councils adopted a Diversity and Inclusion Strategy in 2022 which can be found on their websites South / Vale. The strategy aims to make sure that the councils do everything to make sure they are inclusive and equal to everyone and they are representative of all in their staff recruitment, representation, and service provision.