Tom Boyd, 28, had been volunteering in the Cheadle Hulme branch of Waitrose in Greater Manchester since 2021. Accompanied by a support worker, he worked twice a week stacking shelves and unloading stock, contributing more than 600 unpaid hours, his mother, Frances Boyd said. She added that the role gave him “a sense of purpose and belonging.”

However, on July 2025, she’d make a move and asked Waitrose “if there was a possibility of paid work” in recognition of Tom’s efforts. Waitrose’s head office intervened, and the volunteer placement was halted. Frances Boyd said they felt “deeply let down” because Tom “gave over 600 hours of his time purely because he wanted to belong, contribute, and make a difference.”

Following public attention, rival supermarket chain Asda offered Tom paid employment: “two five-hour paid shifts a week,” his mother told the BBC. Asda’s spokesperson said: “When we heard about Tom and his desire to find meaningful work, we knew he’d be a fantastic fit … we are delighted to offer him a role at his local store.”

It wasn’t too long that Waitrose issued a statement saying it was investigating the case and that it “would like to welcome Tom back in paid employment” adding, “we hope to see him back with us very soon.”

The incident sparked criticism from charities working with neuro-divergent individuals who said the case highlights the barriers autistic people face in obtaining paid work. Their statement: “He’s a living example of why we must fundamentally reframe the narrative from a deficit model to a strengths-based model of difference.” “Tom’s greatest barrier wasn’t his ability to work; it was a rigid corporate policy that prevented him from transitioning from an unpaid volunteer to a paid, valued employee,” they added.