DWP issues statement as disabled claimants face 85% cuts to awards

The DWP has responded to criticisms that is making substantial cuts to a vital support package for disabled people. The department said work is underway to "improve the scheme" with one person saying their funding has been cut by 85 per cent. The Access to Work scheme continues to be plagued by lengthy delays in dealing with applications with claimants saying their grant funding through the programme is being slashed back. The scheme provides grant funding that pays for extra support to enable people with a health condition or disability to do their job. The money can pay for a range of help, such as equipment or other physical aids, travel costs, extra training for colleagues or a support worker. You can get up to £69,260 a year through the scheme to pay for the support you need. The BBC Money Box show recently drew attention to concerns about the scheme, as there are reports of support being reduced or taken away, even where a person's needs have not changed. There are also lengthy backlogs - the DWP has confirmed the current waiting time is 37 weeks for new Access to Work applications, the same as around eight months. Self-employed content creator Jenny, who uses a wheelchair, told the BBC show that the award she received when renewing it was 85 per cent less than it was previously. She said: "There's no formal process for reconsideration or for tribunal. Called up the day that we got the letter to put in a request for reconsideration, but were told that it was going to be at least five weeks before they even started looking at it." An award typically last three years. Jenny described the impact of her grant being slashed back: "I still have to run my business. I still have support workers that I need, even on vastly reduced hours and reduced pay. You know, it's having such a massive toll and impact on my mental and physical health, but also my income and my household income, and also my husband having to take time off work to support me in my job, which is not his responsibility because he has his own full-time job." Asked to respond to the concerns, A DWP spokesperson said: "Access to Work is a lifeline, but demand for the scheme has grown significantly in recent years, with the number of people supported nearly doubling in five years. That's why we've taken action by employing nearly 500 additional staff to clear the backlog and are working with disabled people and their organisations to improve the scheme. "If anyone is unhappy with their original decision, we encourage them to exercise their right of reconsideration." The department said it is actively monitoring demand for the service, with plans to deploy more staff to tackle claims. As of May 2026, some 60,000 applicants were awaiting a decision, up from 48,270 applications at the end of June 2024. Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, based on discussions with the applicant and their employer. As such, there is no appeal against the award amount, although there is a reconsideration policy. However, anyone can request one reconsideration of an award by a different Access to Work case manager. You can use the contact details at the top of your award letter to arrange this. Another claimant told the BBC show about the impact of her award being cut. Rana was born deaf and works for her local council. She previously had a support worker but now has to get by with just some specialist equipment to help her. She said: "Whilst technology can help, it cannot replace the human support I need to communicate effectively and fully participate at work. This decision is deeply demoralising. Access to Work should be helping disabled people remain in the workforce and progress in their career, not making that harder."