Government ‘must listen’ to new report which calls for DWP to research importance of Access to Work

The government should halt its cuts and reforms to Access to Work and commission new research to show exactly how important the scheme is to the disabled people who rely on it to stay working, according to a new report.

The report, supported by disabled campaigners, was commissioned earlier this year due to fears that the scheme was growing ever more restrictive and discriminatory.

It was commissioned by the Stop Changes to Access to Work campaign, which played an influential role in highlighting similar attacks on the scheme by Conservative-led governments a decade ago.

The new report by academics from the Movement Research Unit (MRU) – which supports social policy and campaigning with free research support – highlights how years of research by other academics have shown how the scheme helps disabled people with job and financial security, wellbeing and in-work training.

Some studies examined by MRU for the report show many disabled people would be unable to continue in work without Access to Work (AtW).

But the government’s failure to provide the necessary data means it is impossible to show exactly how important AtW is and the potential impact of changes to the scheme on disability employment.

The report also says that research has shown that disabled people’s experience of the scheme is “worsening over time”, with “increasing waiting times, impersonal assessments and opaque processes” meaning many people do not receive the support they are entitled to.

This lack of support often leads to disabled people having to stop working, the report says.

Among the report’s recommendations is for the government to fill the research gap by commissioning a study that evaluates the impact of AtW, by comparing a group of disabled people who receive AtW with a “control group” with similar impairments who do not receive support through the scheme.

It also calls on the government to evaluate the costs and benefits of AtW by calculating how much income tax would be lost without the programme.

And it calls on the government to scrap any changes to the scheme until it has carried out the necessary research to show what impact those reforms would have.

The report also mirrors demands from disabled campaigners to improve the scheme by reducing delays in the application process and improving staff training.

The report concludes: “While the overall impact of AtW on people’s ability to stay in work is poorly evidenced, there is ample evidence that people’s individual experience of AtW has deteriorated in recent years and the government should act to correct this.”

The Stop Changes to Access to Work campaign believes the report shows how AtW has now changed from a needs-led service to one that is cost-based.

This week, it launched a petition calling on the government to “preserve the integrity of Access to Work and ensure it remains a necessity-driven programme”.

The petition warns that “recent changes to the scheme are shifting it towards a model that makes recipients feel as if they should be grateful for any assistance they receive, rather than providing support based on the level of need”.

Among those supporting the campaign are Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), the National Union of British Sign Language Interpreters (NUBSLI) and the disabled-led theatre company Graeae.

Jenny Sealey, Graeae’s joint chief executive and artistic director, has herself been affected by AtW cuts.

She has received AtW funding for British Sign Language interpreters for the last two decades but last year saw that support cut in half by DWP after it claimed Graeae could make “employer led adjustments” and that she should rely on “minimum necessary support”.

It also said she should not be “dependent on AtW support” while Graeae should “make up the shortfall in support costs” as a reasonable adjustment under the Equality Act.

Sealey – who was artistic co-director of the London 2012 Paralympic Games opening ceremony – eventually had her AtW support reinstated after a public campaign.

But she said this week that the “battle over AtW is far from over”.

She said she was having almost daily conversations with disabled artists who have had their support cut after applying for it to be renewed and then had their reconsideration (appeal) rejected.

One blind writer, she said, has had all her support to fund taxis cut, with AtW telling her that she can claim back the cost in her annual tax return instead.

Sealey said: “This is an acute infringement of human rights and given that when we work we pay tax, as do the people we work with – the interpreters, enablers, note-takers, etc – none of these cuts make logical economic sense.

“The campaign to raise awareness and to lobby the government is of huge importance and it is a fight for justice and a fair and equal world.”

Linda Burnip, co-founder of DPAC, said: “This report is very thorough and brings together various strands of research.

“At a time when AtW support is being slashed and also takes so long to put in place it is vital that government commission research to show how important AtW funding is in helping disabled people get into and stay in work.”

She highlighted how Labour figures – such as prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, in his relaunch speech on Monday, and rebel MP Catherine West – kept stressing that Labour was “the party for working people”.

But she said: “Unless AtW is in place and speedily accessible, the Labour party, in particular Mr Starmer, should be honest and simply announce that they’re happy to throw disabled people onto the scrap heap without the essential support they need.”