The agonising wait disabled people face under Access to Work scheme

Disabled people are enduring average waits exceeding 100 days for crucial support applications designed to help them secure or maintain employment, a new report reveals.

A leading disability equality charity has condemned the findings from the National Audit Office (NAO), describing the public spending watchdog's report as "laying bare the brutal reality for disabled people trying to get into and stay in work."

The NAO report highlights significant "delays and backlogs" within the Access to Work scheme, which has been operational across England, Scotland, and Wales since 1994.

This vital programme allows applicants with physical or mental health conditions or disabilities to apply for grants covering practical workplace support, mental health management, or communication assistance for job interviews.

Demand for the scheme has "increased significantly" in recent years, according to the NAO. The total number of applications has more than doubled, soaring from 76,100 in 2018/19 to an anticipated 157,000 in 2024/25.

While the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), responsible for funding and administering the scheme, states it lacks a definitive cause for this surge, it "believes the growth in demand is likely to have been driven by a rise in the identification of mental health conditions and neurodiversity across society."

DWP data supports this, showing that the number of people applying for support due to mental health or learning conditions rose sharply from 11,200 (30 per cent of all customers receiving payments) in 2018/19 to 37,900 (51 per cent) in 2024/25.

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The department also noted an increase in applicants with conditions categorised as "other," which it suggests includes neurodivergent individuals.

The average waiting time for an application to be processed reached 109 working days in November 2025, up from 66 working days in 2024/25 and 28 working days in 2021/22, and well above the department’s 25-day target.

The NAO said delays had “a negative impact on individuals and employers”.

The report stated: “Four of the organisations we consulted said that application delays and late payments have affected employees’ job security, and one noted that in some cases delays have resulted in people having job offers withdrawn.

“Late payments can also have an impact on employers. Three of the organisations we consulted commented that payment delays were leading to cashflow problems, noting that delays were particularly damaging for small businesses.”

The NAO said the DWP has had a “growing number of complaints” from customers, mostly relating to the time taken to process applications.

The report noted the department had increased the number of staff working on the scheme in an attempt to help process the increasing number of cases and tackle the backlog, and this led to an increase in spending on staff administering the scheme from £12.6 million in 2021/22 to £24.4 million in 2024/25.

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The NAO said the department “does not expect the backlog to fall significantly in the short term” and is “waiting for the outcome of the Government’s consultation on the future of the scheme before committing to plans for further improvements”.

Gareth Davies, head of the NAO, said: “The Access to Work scheme plays a valuable role in helping people with disabilities or long-term health conditions secure and sustain employment, and demand for the scheme has grown significantly.

“Maximising the value for money of the scheme will require government to improve how it administers the current system, to get on top of the backlogs and to properly assess the scheme’s impact.”

Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, chairman of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, said while the scheme “provides significant value for people with disabilities or physical or mental health conditions to secure or stay in work”, surges in demand have led to “significant backlogs and delays in processing applications and payments, affecting both employees’ job security and employers’ cash-flow”.

He added: “As DWP looks to secure the greatest value from the scheme, it must address identified data gaps, align guidance with the Government’s objectives to support case workers and carry out work to ensure productivity targets can be met.”

James Taylor, director of strategy at disability equality charity Scope, said: “This report lays bare the brutal reality for disabled people trying to get into and stay in work.

“Disabled people face constant barriers, rejection and frustration, and Scope’s employment services have supported customers who’ve had to leave jobs altogether because Access to Work support didn’t arrive in time.

“Access to Work can be a lifeline that allows disabled people not just to work, but to thrive.

“But the Government must urgently get a grip on the backlogs and properly understand the scheme’s impact on disabled people, employers and the wider economy.”

The DWP has been contacted for comment.