Access to Work: Carving our own career path

Having the freedom to carve out our own career path is important to a lot of us. For Disabled people who are able to work, Access to Work helps. It covers the accessibility tools we need to do a good job – things like BSL interpreters, specialist software, and transport.

In 2024/25, it helped nearly 75,000 Disabled people in the workplace, and it’s the lowest cost Disability work programme for the highest certainty of success.

Access to Work is backed up

As demand for Access to Work has increased the scheme hasn’t kept up, and queues have built up.

Some people are now waiting over 18 months for support. More people are being refused essential accessibility tools too, even if they’ve been using them a long time. It’s moving the goalposts, and it’s left some Disabled-led businesses facing closure.

A Government report found that delays have even led to some people losing their livelihoods.

Disabled people are trapped between a Government telling us to work if we can, but not giving us enough support, and employers unable or unwilling to employ us.

It doesn’t make sense, when the Government says it wants to offer a pathway to work for Disabled people.

Let’s get Access to Work back on track

With the right accessibility tools, many Disabled people who can work do so. There are Disabled people at every level, in every kind of job. There are Disabled campaigners, baristas, judges, support workers and influencers.

We need a powerful springboard to allow us to keep doing that.

Campaigners like the Access to Work Collective have been telling policymakers what the scheme needs for many years. It’s great news that DWP has announced 500 new workers to address the delays, and there are also chances for Disabled people to tell the Government what we think about this issue.

Have your say on Access to Work, flexible, hybrid, and remote working

The House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee is holding an inquiry about Disabled people and Access to Work, flexible, hybrid, and remote working.

It will look at what is working well, problems with these things, and whether laws around these issues are effective.

Sharing evidence with the inquiry means you can tell MPs what Disabled people (and our carers and allies) need and want.

The Campaign for Disability Justice will be sending evidence to the inquiry, and we want to include your views. You can: