The agonising wait disabled people face under Access to Work scheme
Charity condemns ‘brutal reality’ of disabled people waiting for work support
- Disabled people are experiencing average waits exceeding 100 days for crucial support applications through the Access to Work scheme.
- A National Audit Office (NAO) report has revealed significant “delays and backlogs” in the scheme, which provides grants for practical workplace support.
- Demand for the Access to Work programme has more than doubled since 2018/19, with a notable increase in applications for mental health and neurodiversity support.
- The delays, which reached 109 working days in November 2025, are negatively impacting individuals' job security and causing cash flow problems for employers.
- Disability equality charity Scope and Parliament's Public Accounts Committee have called for urgent action to address the backlogs and improve the scheme's administration and impact assessment.
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