The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is facing renewed criticism over the operation of its Access to Work scheme after a senior disability charity executive said part of his workplace travel support was withdrawn.
Kamran Mallick, chief executive of Disability Rights UK, said he had relied on Access to Work funding for around 15 years. The scheme helped cover taxi journeys to and from work as well as support from a worker for 20 hours each week.
His case has drawn attention to wider concerns about delays and the availability of support for disabled people who rely on the programme to remain in employment.
Scheme
Access to Work provides grants to people with disabilities or health conditions to help with additional costs associated with working. Depending on an individual’s circumstances, support can include specialist equipment, workplace adaptations, support workers and travel expenses.
The scheme is intended to cover costs that employers would not normally be expected to meet.
For disabled workers, the assistance can be important in making employment practical. Without appropriate transport or workplace support, some people may face significant barriers to starting or maintaining a job.
Dispute
Mallick, 53, has used a wheelchair since contracting polio at the age of three. He said Access to Work had previously helped finance taxi travel to his workplace and a support worker for 20 hours a week.
Following a phone call with the DWP in July, he said some of that support was removed.
According to Mallick, the department suggested that his support worker could also take on driving responsibilities. He argued that combining the two roles would not be practical.
Driving and personal support require different skills, and arranging one person who is suitably qualified and available for both responsibilities could be difficult, particularly where full-week availability is required.
Mallick has submitted a reconsideration request to the DWP.
Delays
His experience comes as concerns grow about the wider administration of Access to Work.
A National Audit Office report published in February found that the average processing time for applications increased substantially. The figure rose from 28 days in 2020/21 to 109 days in November 2025.
The Work & Pensions Committee has also reported that about 66,000 Access to Work applications were waiting to be processed in March.
Longer waiting times can create practical difficulties for disabled people who need support to begin or continue working. A delay in receiving equipment, transport assistance or support staff can potentially affect someone’s ability to carry out their job.
Demand
Demand for Access to Work has increased significantly in recent years.
Applications rose from about 76,100 in 2018/19 to 157,000 in 2024/25. Over the same period, spending on the programme increased from £129 million to £320 million, representing an increase of around 40% according to the figures cited.
The growth reflects increased demand for the scheme, but it also places greater pressure on the system responsible for assessing applications and maintaining existing awards.
Campaigners argue that these pressures may be contributing to decisions that provide less support or shorter periods of funding, even though the government maintains that the underlying Access to Work policy has not changed.
Policy
The dispute comes as the government continues to focus on increasing employment among disabled people and people with health conditions.
Initiatives such as Right to Try are intended to make it easier for benefit claimants to move into employment without immediately losing access to their existing benefits.
At the same time, the government has been reviewing the wider benefits system. Ministers previously stepped back from proposed changes to Personal Independence Payment, or PIP, after facing opposition from disability campaigners.
Disability minister Stephen Timms subsequently launched a review of PIP. The findings are expected in the autumn and could form part of broader plans for changes to the welfare system.
Response
The DWP said it was sorry to hear about Mallick’s experience and would consider his reconsideration request.
A department spokesperson also said Access to Work remains an important source of assistance for disabled people and people with health conditions who want to start or remain in employment.
The department acknowledged that demand has grown significantly and said it is working with disabled people and their organisations to improve the scheme.
The DWP has also stated that no changes have been made to Access to Work policy and said any future changes would be announced before implementation.
Outlook
The dispute highlights a wider issue facing Access to Work: the difference between the formal rules of a scheme and how support is experienced by people using it.
The number of applications has more than doubled since 2018/19, while processing times have increased sharply. For disabled workers, the effectiveness of the programme depends not only on eligibility rules but also on whether support is available at the time it is needed.
As the government considers broader welfare reforms, Access to Work is likely to remain an important part of discussions about disabled people’s participation in employment. For now, the DWP says its policy has not changed, while campaigners continue to raise concerns about delays, funding decisions and the level of practical support available.
FAQs
What is Access to Work?
It helps cover extra work costs linked to disability or health.
Who can use Access to Work?
Disabled people and people with health conditions can apply.
What can Access to Work fund?
Support can include travel, equipment and workplace assistance.
Have Access to Work rules changed?
The DWP says no policy changes have been made.
