Government intelligence agency employs dozens of dyslexic 'spies' because they have special skills to help crack codes



GCHQ says many of its top code-breakers have trouble reading words

But this means they see things those without the disorders do not

New film The Imitation Game about dyslexic code-breaker Alan Turing



IT specialist at agency says sufferers often have a 'spiky-skills' profile



Britain’s intelligence agency is employing 120 dyslexic and dyspraxic spies, it was revealed today.

GCHQ said many of its most talented code-breakers have trouble reading or interpreting words, but this can help them crack codes because they see things those without the disorders do not.

It comes ahead of the release of new film The Imitation Game - starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing, a British dyslexia sufferer who worked as a code-breaker during the Second World War.

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Intelligence: New film The Imitation Game stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing (front centre), a British dyslexia sufferer who worked as a code breaker during the Second World War

Turing was a cryptanalyst at Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire, and played a key role in providing intelligence for the Allies by deciphering messages encrypted by the German Enigma machine.

IT specialist Matt, who chairs GCHQ’s dyslexic and dyspraxic support community, said sufferers often have a ‘spiky-skills’ profile - meaning some skill areas will be above average, and others below.

The 35-year-old told The Sunday Times security correspondent Richard Kerbaj: ‘My reading might be slower than some individuals and maybe my spelling is appalling, and my handwriting definitely is.

‘But if you look at the positive side, my 3D spacial-perception awareness and creativity is in the top 1 per cent of my peer group.’

GCHQ: The intelligence agency in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, is employing 120 dyslexic and dyspraxic spies

Last year MPs on the Commons Intelligence and Security Committee praised steps taken by the Cheltenham-based agency's chiefs to harness the skills of dyslexic code-breakers.

The Mail on Sunday reported back in 2003 how the Cabinet Office had funded an information pack to help dyslexia sufferers - and 1.5 per cent of GCHQ workers had expressed an interest in using it.

Around 10 per cent of the population is mildly dyslexic, with one in 25 seriously affected. Famous sufferers include Albert Einstein and Sir Richard Branson. And one in 20 children have dyspraxia.

The Daily Mail reported in October 2012 how GCHQ were starting to look at recruiting as many as 100 recruits school-leavers to take a 'degree in spying' instead of going to university.



The Foreign Office stated at the time that it wanted to harness the talents of the 'XBox generation' who have grown up with social networking sites, global internet connections and interactive gaming.

Condition: Around 10 per cent of the population is mildly dyslexic, with one in 25 seriously affected. Famous sufferers include Albert Einstein (left) and Sir Richard Branson (right)



GCHQ - which stands for Government Communications Headquarters - starts its annual autumn recruitment programme tomorrow, and wants to take on up to 80 apprentices aged 18 and over.

The agency is now devoting a third of its intelligence analysts to counter-terrorism in the Middle East, with communications monitoring said to have provided evidence relating to Britons joining ISIS.

Leaks by US whistleblower Edward Snowden last year lifted the lid on the scale of GCHQ's role with America's National Security Agency in monitoring electronic communications around the world.

A GCHQ spokesman told MailOnline today: 'As a technical organisation GCHQ have some exceptionally bright people working here and a higher than average proportion of staff with dyslexia.



'We recognise the innovative approaches and additional value neuro-diverse individuals can bring to the full spectrum of roles and jobs across the department.'

