“WHEN we start to talk about the new normal, we also need to have a firm eye on where we are headed,” says Sally Witcher, chief executive of Inclusion Scotland.

“That is why Inclusion Scotland has produced a guide to remote working.

That could bring important benefits to disabled people.”

Disabled people are more than twice as likely to be unemployed as the general population, which campaigners argue is often due to discrimination and an unwillingness to think creatively about how to make the workplace more accessible.

According to a survey by disability charity Scope, almost a third of disabled people felt there was “a lot of prejudice around disability”. This view was shared by only 22% of non-disabled people.

Many, Witcher argued, have struggled to persuade employers to make the necessary adaptions to workplaces, while also being denied the opportunity of working from home.

But with remote working now necessity for many people, she says an opportunity for change. “It’s become mainstream,” she said. “It’s vital that remote working is made accessible and inclusive for everyone.

“If we are talking about an inclusive economy then surely this has to be part of it. Employers have been previously resistant but not they are finding ways of doing it out of necessity.

“As its normalised it means you are no longer singled out, if you are disabled or have caring responsibilities that make coming to the workplace difficult. It could lead to a more diverse workforce.

That means better problem solving, a widening customer base and more profitability.”