Once again the Rt Hon. Chancellor of the exchequer, Rachael Reeves has put her case for even more cuts to public spending, so is it now that she swings the axe on funding for Access To Work?
Since the Covid pandemic Access To Work has continued to be short changed by the Treasury, with more resources being directed to Universal Credit and the delivery of a woeful service to people with disabilities who need support to gain, maintain and retain employment, but sadly individual constituent MP’s have very little idea or understanding of just how important the Department for Work and Pensions Access to Work scheme is for many people with disabilities who choose to remain economically active and contribute to the Chancellors Golden Goose of increasing domestic growth.
Even the Rt Hon. Liz Kendall has had to accept that the burden on the benefits budget is a burden that needs addressing, but where does this leave funding for Access to Work? Does anyone know? Does anyone care?
As an agency specialising in the supporting of people with disabilities to both access and make full use of their Access to Work grants, we are certainly seeing an increase in waiting times and barriers for our clients, a state of affairs which is also echoed anecdotally in online disability forums Examples include individuals waiting for upwards of seven months to have an initial callback following a submission of a change of circumstances, and a seeming unwillingness to sign off on required support without an uphill struggle on the part of the disabled person.
As a result of this state of affairs, we are asking any of our clients, colleagues, employees and partner agencies who feel able to do so, to add their signatures to the petition linked below, which calls in the first instance for action to be taken to address the waiting times for Access to Work applications. Such waiting times can have a profound effect on the ability of people with disabilities to both accept a job offer, and also to continue to carry out their existing job role.
Petition: Take action to improve waiting times for access to work applications petition.parliament.uk
As a specialist employment agency dedicated to providing a high standard of service to our clients, we will continue to work to provide the best possible service to our clients and employees, and will continue to fight for change and the creation of a society in which people with disabilities have the same access to opportunities as everyone else and do not have their potential curtailed by misguided procedures and one-size fits all bureaucracy.