DWP admits 'Access to Work' support is failing Disabled people

The Access to work scheme can provide funding that can pay for things like specialist equipment and assistive software for a Disabled person, support workers like a BSL interpreter, or the costs of travelling to work if public transport is inaccessible. 

Attending the hearing, the Disability minister Sir Stephen Timms acknowledged there is a backlog in the programme, and said a large increase in applications has resulted in the system slowing down.

The number of Disabled people receiving access to work support has more than doubled in the last seven years, according to the government's own data. In the last year alone, support increased by more than 15,000 people — going from 34,800 claims to 49,920 in 2023-24.

According to recent reports, estimates suggest that there are over 37,000 unresolved applications, leading to significant wait times for individuals needing support. The longest wait time for a claimant was 254 working days.

Recently a specific arm of the Access to Work scheme that provides free, confidential mental health support assistance with or without their employer’s knowledge changed, meaning 542,840 working Brits may no longer be able to access this help. As of April 1, all civil servants will no longer be eligible for mental health support under the scheme.

All of this comes as the government is desperate to get Disabled people into work. Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall has bold plans to “get Britain working“, But it appears the Government plans will only add pressure to the growing Access to Work backlog.

Speaking at the hearing, MP Steve Darling told the disability minister that delays in approving access to work applications is "exacerbating vulnerabilities", with one of his constituents waiting nearly six months for their application to be approved. Another faced having a job offer withdrawn because of the delays within the scheme.

Responding to the committee, Mr Timms said "We used to speak about access to work as a best-kept secret, but that's changed in the last two years. There's been an enormous surge in applications. The department has done its level best to keep up, but the situation is not in good shape. We're going to need to make some significant reforms to access to work.”

"There are legal obligations for employers to make reasonable adjustments," Timms said. "The current style of access to work is likely to be unsustainable in the long term due to high demand."

Dan White policy and campaigns officer at DR UK said: “We welcome the government’s focus on supporting those Disabled people who can and wish to work find suitable employment, but the most important issue is fixing Access to Work.”

“This push to get more Disabled people into work will only add pressure to the growing backlog. If you are going to add demand on Access to Work, while claiming It is “unsustainable in the long term” then the current government policy of benefit reform should be put on the backburner while the system is funded and re-thought.”

“Rushing into reducing the benefits bill and pushing Disabled people into work while the scheme is not fit for purpose is dangerous. Trust between the government and Disabled people is already at an all-time low.”