If Access to Work Was "The Best Kept Secret," Why Are We in This Crisis?

Yesterday, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) published its Access to Work - Official Statistics Release Strategy, with plans to introduce new data categories in future reports. The

se include breakdowns of Access to Work Plus (AtW⁺), the Transitional Employer Support Grant (TESG), spending levels, average grant amounts, health condition categories, and more. On paper, that sounds like a step forward—greater transparency, more insight, and a better picture of what’s happening.

But here's the truth: this move comes far too late, and it's not enough to fix what's broken.

Waiting Times and Rising Demand

Right now, more than 62,000 applications are stuck in limbo. Delays stretch over nine months—that’s more than 50 weeks of waiting just to be able to work. For too many, that wait means missed job offers, financial instability, and mental exhaustion.

People aren’t applying for Access to Work because it's easy. They're applying because they need it—urgently. The growing demand doesn’t mean the system is failing; it means more disabled people are trying to do the thing society says it wants: get into work.

Cuts That Will Undermine Access to Work

Yet instead of matching that demand with action, leaked proposals suggest further cuts. A proposed 35-hour cap on support, one-year limits on funding, and the removal of essential support roles are all on the table. These changes would hit those with the highest needs the hardest.

Let me be clear: these aren’t just tweaks. These are the kinds of decisions that force people to quit jobs, to stop applying, or to give up entirely. And that’s the exact opposite of what a system called “Access to Work” should be doing.

Budget Promises Without Action

There are headlines about big investment—£1 billion a year by 2029-30—but the small print tells a different story. Only £400 million is currently budgeted for 2028-29. And there’s been no increase in per-person funding.

If you're promising inclusion, but not funding it, you're not being honest. Former Shadow Minister Vicky Foxcroft saw this for what it is and stepped down, warning that 150,000 more people could be pushed into poverty as a result.

Reforms That Miss the Point

Yes, there are wider reforms underway. The government’s Pathways to Work Green Paper talks about changing how benefits are assessed. But Access to Work isn't about welfare—it's about fairness. It's about enabling people to do their jobs. You can’t fix that with a benefits paper alone. You fix it by investing in people, not pulling the rug from beneath them.

Voices From the Campaign: Access to Work Should Be a Right, Not a Privilege

"Access to Work should be a right, not a privilege. If someone receives support, it’s because they need it. If more people are applying, it’s not a sign of failure—it’s a sign that disabled people want to work. And that should be something we celebrate, not punish."Harry Georgiou, SpeakToMe

Campaigner and performer Jess Thom had her support cut by 61%, despite using that support to perform internationally. She’s not alone. Her story reflects what’s happening to too many people—those who are told to work, then denied the tools to make it possible.

Thousands of leaders across the arts and charity sectors have warned that these changes will lock disabled people out of the workforce completely. They're right. Because without access, there is no inclusion.

Looking Ahead

This isn't just about systems and statistics. It's about people—people like me, and people I know—trying to build a life, earn a living, and contribute to society. We don't need empty promises. We need:

• Action to clear the backlog.

• A halt to damaging cuts.

• Long-term investment that reflects real demand.

• And a promise to co-produce reforms with the disabled people they’re meant to serve.

Final Thought

If Access to Work really was the “best kept secret,” then that’s part of the problem. Rights shouldn't be hidden behind red tape or delay. Support shouldn’t be rationed.

What we need isn’t a secret—it’s a system that works.

Real reform means turning good intentions into reality. It means recognising that disabled people are ready to work, and removing the barriers that keep holding us back.

Access to Work should be the start of opportunity, not the end of it.

Let’s stop hiding behind secrecy, and start showing what fairness really looks like.