DWP is quietly pushing through Access to Work cuts – but may be forced to come clean

The Campaign for Disability Justice is calling for members of the public to support demands to urgently reform the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Access to Work scheme – and to stop sly cuts the Labour Party government is making behind closed doors in their tracks.

DWP Access to Work scheme: a call for urgent reform

The group is backing Access to Work Collective’s call for urgent reform of Access to Work. The vital scheme is meant to remove barriers for disabled people in employment. Right now however, the scheme is utterly failing. Campaign for Disability Justice has highlighted that at present:

delays, cuts, and bureaucracy are forcing people out of jobs, closing businesses, and creating further hardship.

The Access to Work Collective has collected overwhelming anecdotal evidence that the Labour Party government is already implementing changes to Access to Work. And alarmingly, it is doing so before carrying out any official review. Many people are reporting 60–80% cuts or even total withdrawal of their support, with no explanation.

Yet, the DWP has claimed it is simply “implementing existing policy” and that previous awards had become “too generous.”

However, the group has pointed out that there is nothing “too generous” about supporting disabled people in work and helping to remove systemic barriers to access. To the contrary, it’s the bare minimum the government should be doing.

Disabled people deserve transparency

86% of surveyed disabled workers say Access to Work is essential for keeping their job or running their business. On top of this, 100% of employers say their disabled staff would struggle without it.

Meanwhile, the DWP is not being honest about the cuts and changes it is making to Access to Work behind the scenes. But the Campaign for Disability Justice has joined the Access to Work Collective’s calls. They argue that disabled people deserve transparency on this.

The department has indicated that a review of Access to Work is on the way. Given this, the group is pressing for clarity. It wants the DWP to make clear its scope, its timeline, and how it will embed co-production with disabled people.

Sign the open letter against underhanded Access to Work cuts

As Disability News Service reported, hundreds of disabled people, groups, and allies have already added their names to the letter the Access to Work Collective has sent the prime minister. Notably, the letter highlighted that:

Since early 2024, disabled people have reported that Access to Work case managers have been making cuts and inconsistent decisions that appear to prioritise savings over support.

In particular, it pointed to an “internal restructuring” process through which the department is already undermining its purported commitment to consultation and co-production. The two phases of this include:

• Phase 1 has introduced major funding cuts, including steep reductions in allocations for assistive software and equipment. It imposes a 20% cap on enabling support, reduces flexibility in how support can be delivered, and pressures support workers to accept fees so low that they fall below minimum wage – a practice that is illegal.
• Phase 2, scheduled for September 2025, proposes the removal of several key types of support altogether, including Job Aide roles, assistive technology, and specialist equipment. Only minimal job coaching and British Sign Language interpretation would remain. If enacted, this would effectively strip Access to Work of its ability to meet the needs of the vast majority of disabled workers.

So, the Campaign for Disability Justice is therefore urging people to sign the open letter to Starmer. It said that:

Until we have the information we deserve, we’ll continue to use our voices and fill the Government’s pointed silence.

Featured image via the Canary