Access to Work delays and reported cuts are leaving disabled Brits who want to work locked out of employment, while Labour emphasises the need for more working-age people to get into the workforce.
The Access to Work scheme is « descending into crisis » as disabled people trying to work face months of delays, inconsistent renewal decisions and allegedly up to 60% award cuts according to campaigners.
The Access to Work Collective says these issues are « actively harming lives », something Sassy Wyatt has experienced first hand. She said: « Telling disabled people to get into work while cutting the very schemes that make work possible is not a plan, it’s sabotage. The government’s narrative doesn’t reflect the reality of systemic barriers we face daily. »
The London-based travel journalist, among many other things, is completely blind who relied on her guide dog Ida, her long white cane and her Access to Work funded support to keep her business running.
She explained to Reach: “Without sighted assistance, I cannot do my job fully. Access to Work enabled me to hire support workers who provided visual assistance and sighted guiding.
“When I was first awarded Access to Work support, I felt recognised. Like the government understood that disabled professionals deserve a fair shot. It wasn’t easy to apply, but it felt like a step forward. It made work not only possible, but sustainable.”
After three years, her award was up for renewal and she got a new caseworker. This is where she claims things started to go wrong: “This renewal should have been simple.
“Instead, I was treated like a suspect. After receiving confirmation of my new award, I was assigned a new case manager who demanded answers to inappropriate and irrelevant questions that had nothing to do with the renewal process. Despite doing everything right, the award was silently withdrawn.”
When she got her MP involved, the DWP reportedly sent her a letter confirming the support had been withdrawn. Sassy added: « My MP was fed a version of events that implied I’d failed to cooperate. I felt betrayed, gaslit and humiliated. »
Being stripped of the support hasn’t just impacted Sassy and her business, but the people who were working as her visual support: « Support workers are freelance professionals who agreed to work with me in good faith, expecting to be paid for their time. Then, without warning, the government refused to pay them.
« They’re now thousands of pounds out of pocket. They’ve had to chase payment, put projects on hold, and question whether they can keep supporting disabled clients at all. This scheme doesn’t just fail disabled professionals, it punishes the very people helping us stay in work. It creates fear and instability across the board. »
Since her award was withdrawn, Sassy has had to reduce her workload. It’s also impacted her confidence, independence, finances and mental health.
The entire ordeal has left her deeply sceptical of the system, but the 34 year old highlighted: « There are no other schemes like it. That’s the brutal irony. If I want to stay employed, I might be forced to re-engage with a system that has shown me nothing but hostility. »
In the consultation paper, the government acknowledged that the system needs reform to better cater to the evolving needs of those it serves. Sassy emphasised that the Access to Work « concept is brilliant » and the scheme can be « life-changing » for its users, but cautioned that changes need to begin with training, accountability and transparency.
She warned further cuts or delays to the scheme « will push more of us out of work, plain and simple ».
This comes against a backdrop of numerous other proposed welfare reforms affecting Sassy and other disabled individuals: « I’ve had to rely on a patchwork of inconsistent support to keep my head above water. These reforms don’t offer solutions, they just move the goalposts. »
But it’s not just the government that has the power to make the workforce more accessible, as Sassy explained how colleagues, workers and employers can make a difference: « Challenge the narrative that disabled people are burdens.
« Ask your employers how they’re supporting disabled staff. Advocate for inclusive hiring and accessible platforms. If you work in media, politics, HR or design, you have influence. Use it. Accessibility is everyone’s responsibility. We don’t need pity. We need allies who are willing to act. »
A spokesperson for the DWP stated: « No changes have been made to Access to Work policy, and we will announce any future changes prior to them being implemented.
« Despite deploying additional staff and streamlining our procedures, the number of Access to Work applications waiting to be processed is continuing to grow. That’s why we consulted on the future of Access to Work and how to improve it for the benefit of disabled people and employers.
« We will be reviewing all aspects of the scheme now that the consultation has closed and will be developing future policy in collaboration with disabled people. »
The department confirmed that both renewals and initial claims for Access to Work are assessed based on the official guidance in place at the time of assessment. The DWP is obliged to provide formal notice of any changes to awards during renewal, which should also outline any updated support package or funding adjustments.
Individuals who believe their Access to Work claim has not been handled correctly are advised to use the online complaints procedure. However, simply disagreeing with your level of award or results of reconsideration alone may not provide sufficient grounds for a complaint.
