The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced an extension to the deadline for people with one of three conditions to voice their concerns. The government body had previously confirmed the establishment of the Independent Disability Advisory Panel, designed to ‘advise and connect the department to the wider disability community’.
The DWP is inviting those who are deaf, disabled, or living with a long-term health condition to apply for a position on the panel. If you haven’t yet applied, there’s now more time to do so as the DWP has extended the application deadline to Monday, October 13.
In early September, the DWP stated it was seeking 10 individuals living with one of the aforementioned conditions to help « directly inform and guide government policy ». According to the DWP’s guidelines, the panel aims to be a diverse ‘guiding voice to listen to, learn from and collaborate with’.
In a post on X, the DWP stated: « We promised to listen and we have to ensure secure and open conversations that are comfortable for all, we’ll work with our Independent Disability Advisory Panel to shape their confidentiality agreements. The deadline for applying has been extended to 13 October 2025. »
As a panel member, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will require you to attend monthly workshops where you’ll collaborate with policy teams. You’ll also have the opportunity to contribute to the ‘design and development’ of the department’s policy and strategy by sharing your personal experiences and feedback.
You’ll be given documents from the DWP to review, which could involve advising on how the DWP communicates and publishes its policy and guidance. The role is anticipated to run until 31 March 2026, but the DWP has indicated that it may be extended if necessary.
Will I receive any payment?
Panel members will receive a daily fee of £200 for up to 1.5 days of work per month. Bear in mind that this payment will be subject to PAYE income tax rates and could impact any other income you receive, especially if you’re claiming certain benefits.
Travel arrangements will be made for participants, with ‘reasonable’ travel expenses reimbursed. This could also include paid overnight stays for panel members when needed.
How to apply to be part of the panel
In order to be considered for the role, you will be required to fill in an ‘expression of interest form’ which can be found online here. You will also be required to submit a CV detailing your employment and education history – although this will not be used as part of the assessment process.
When completing the form, you will be required to provide:
- A 500-word statement setting out how your experience is relevant to the essential criteria
- A 500-word statement setting out why you would like to be a member of the Panel
- A diversity monitoring form
- Your personal details
