Our submission to the Women and Equalities Committee: why flexible working must work for people with cystic fibrosis (CF)

What we told the Committee about working with CF 

We shared evidence showing the real impact CF has on employment and career progression. People with CF are often ready and willing to work, but the structure of work does not always accommodate fluctuating health. 

Our latest Your Life and CF report shows: 

• 44% of adults with CF have experienced discrimination in work or job applications 
• 35% have lost or left a job because of their health 
• 74% have taken sick leave in the past year 
• 1 in 10 have taken at least a month off sick 
• 27% believe they have been turned down for jobs because of CF. 

We also highlighted that the education and early career options of many people with CF are affected by hospitalisation, infection risk, and treatment needs. These gaps are not a reflection of ability, but they are still too often treated as disadvantages in recruitment processes. 

Why flexible working alone hasn't solved the problem 

The committee wants to know why, despite flexible working becoming more common, the disability employment gap remains. The disability employment gap is the difference in how many disabled people are employed compared to non-disabled people. 

We explained that while remote and hybrid working have increased, this has not automatically led to better access to work for disabled people. 

First, fully remote roles often attract applicants from across the country. This increases competition, making it harder for people with gaps due to illness or unemployment to secure jobs. 

Second, many employers still don’t understand that flexible working is a reasonable adjustment under the Equality Act 2010. Reasonable adjustments are changes that help disabled people access work, education, or services more fairly. Too often, flexible working is treated as a general workplace policy rather than an individual’s legal right for changes to help them to work. 

This matters for people with CF because their needs vary. Some people can attend an office occasionally, but others may not be able to, due to infection risks, fatigue, or treatment schedules. The right support must be tailored based on each person’s individual needs. 

What we think needs to change in workplaces 

Flexible working should be about more than just remote or hybrid working. For people with CF, it can also include: 

• flexible or reduced hours 
• time off for medical treatment and appointments 
• adjusted workloads during periods of illness 
• compressed working patterns (working full hours in fewer days) 
• hybrid arrangements where appropriate. 

Flexibility should be built into all jobs from the start, not only as an option to apply for once someone is already in work.  Employers should be clearer in job adverts where flexible working or adjustments may be available, so disabled applicants are not discouraged from applying.