Employment Minister Diana Johnson has provided an update regarding concerns over potential reductions in awards for disabled claimants under the Department for Work and Pensions' Access to Work scheme. Speaking before the Work and Pensions Committee, the minister addressed questions about recent increases in "reconsiderations" for grants and anecdotal reports of "cuts to award values."
Access to Work Scheme Overview
The Access to Work scheme offers financial grants to support individuals with health conditions or disabilities in the workplace. These funds can cover specialist equipment, travel costs, or support workers, with entitlements reaching up to £69,260 annually. Recent DWP figures reveal that in the 2024/2025 financial year, grants were paid to 74,190 customers, averaging £4,000 per recipient.
Minister's Explanation for Changes
Minister Johnson suggested that the rise in reconsiderations might stem from efforts to apply DWP policy and guidance more consistently across cases. She explained, "There's been an attempt to try and make sure that policy and guidance is applied in a more consistent way." When claimants seek grant renewals and face denials or reductions, it could be due to this enhanced uniformity, she noted.
Johnson elaborated further, stating, "What I'm told is, there's quite a lot of discretion around the way that Access to Work had been applied by individual case workers. The idea was to try and provide that consistency." However, she emphasized that these were preliminary thoughts and committed to investigating the matter thoroughly to inform the committee properly.
Decline in Approved Provisions
Data indicates a significant decrease in the number of people receiving Access to Work support. Approved provisions dropped from 63,450 individuals in 2023/2024 to 56,000 in 2024/2025, marking a 12 percent reduction. This decline aligns with broader concerns about the scheme's reach, as a Government document from October 2025 highlighted that Access to Work supports only about 1 percent of working disabled people.
Eligibility Criteria for Grants
Access to Work grants are not limited to those receiving disability benefits. Eligibility extends to various groups, including:
- Individuals on Universal Credit, particularly those with disabilities or health conditions engaged in paid work.
- Recipients of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), as this benefit can demonstrate a qualifying health condition.
However, DWP guidance specifies that claimants of certain benefits may not qualify, such as:
- Incapacity Benefit
- Legacy Employment Support Allowance
- Severe Disablement Allowance
- Income Support paid due to illness
- National Insurance credits
Minister Johnson assured that further updates on changes to the Access to Work scheme would be provided "soon," as the DWP continues to refine its approach to supporting disabled individuals in employment.
