Charity condemns ‘brutal reality’ of disabled people waiting for work support

• Disabled people are experiencing average waits exceeding 100 days for crucial support applications through the Access to Work scheme.
• A National Audit Office (NAO) report has revealed significant “delays and backlogs” in the scheme, which provides grants for practical workplace support.
• Demand for the Access to Work programme has more than doubled since 2018/19, with a notable increase in applications for mental health and neurodiversity support.
• The delays, which reached 109 working days in November 2025, are negatively impacting individuals' job security and causing cash flow problems for employers.
• Disability equality charity Scope and Parliament's Public Accounts Committee have called for urgent action to address the backlogs and improve the scheme's administration and impact assessment.

IN FULL

The agonising wait disabled people face under Access to Work scheme