Written questions by Haigh.

What quality assurance mechanisms are in place to ensure consistent decision-making across Access to Work caseworkers.

Access to Work has a range of quality assurance processes in place to ensure consistency in decision-making. These include: Standardised Guidance and Training. All case managers and caseworkers follow the same guidance and receive comprehensive training to make consistent, high-quality decisions.Reconsideration Process. Customers have the right to challenge decision outcomes and request a review.Service Assurance Teams. Dedicated teams conduct checks on decision-making quality, provide feedback to maintain consistency, and identify areas for improvement.Coaching and Support from Line Managers. Continuous development is supported through coaching and guidance, helping staff enhance decision-making skills.a

How frequently does the Department review performance data on Access to Work delivery; and will this data be published regularly.

The Department reviews Access to Work performance data regularly to monitor and maintain service delivery standards. This information is used internally to manage and improve performance. It is not published, as it is considered management information rather than official statistics.

What plans he has to simplify and speed up renewals and changes in circumstance to prevent loss of Access to Work support.

We are committed to reducing waiting times for Access to Work. We have increased the number of staff processing Access to Work claims by 27% and applications from customers who are about to start a job or who are renewing are prioritised. The Green Paper launched a consultation on the future of Access to Work which has now concluded. We are considering responses to the consultation and will set out our plans in due course.

What steps he is taking to make Access to Work application and renewal processes more accessible.

DWP is committed to making Access to Work accessible. Customers can apply for Access to Work support and renew existing support, via the on-line service, which has been developed in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018. This service is fully compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard. Both accessibility statements are available on the public website too: Accessibility statement for Apply for Access to Work – Access to Work - GOV.UK – Access to Work – GOV.UK Accessibility statement for Renew Access to Work – Access to Work - GOV.UK In addition, customers can contact Access to Work by telephone. For those Customers who cannot hear or speak on the phone, Relay UK can be used as an alternative to the telephone.

How many applicants have reported difficulties communicating with Access to Work in each of the last five years; and what feedback mechanisms exist to improve user experience.

The Department does not hold data on the number of applicants who have reported communication difficulties with Access to Work over the past five years. However, we actively seek and collect user feedback through a range of channels designed to improve the customer experience, including:Access to Work helpline, where customers can report any difficulties.Relay UK, providing text-based communication support for customers who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech difficulties.Video Relay Service, enabling British Sign Language (BSL) users to communicate directly with Case Managers.Online feedback forms, available on GOV.UK and within the Access to Work digital service.Formal complaints process, for raising and resolving issues.Stakeholder engagement meetings, where representative organisations provide feedback on service delivery. In addition, we offer reasonable adjustments to ensure accessibility for all customers. These include communication by email, provision of information in alternative formats (such as large print or Braille), and other tailored support where required.

What steps his Department is taking to prevent people changing jobs from experiencing long gaps in Access to Work support.

We are committed to reducing waiting times for Access to Work. We have increased the number of staff processing Access to Work claims by 27% and applications from customers who are about to start a job or who are renewing are prioritised. The Green Paper launched a consultation on the future of Access to Work which has now concluded. We are considering responses to the consultation and will set out our plans in due course.

How many staff are allocated to processing Access to Work applications; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of that number.

The current number of case managers allocated to processing Access to Work applications is 307.7 full-time equivalent (FTE). We are committed to reducing waiting times for Access to Work. We have increased the number of staff processing Access to Work claims by 27% and applications from customers who are about to start a job or who are renewing are prioritised. The Green Paper launched a consultation on the future of Access to Work which has now concluded. We are considering responses to the consultation and will set out our plans in due course.

What proportion of applicants for Access to Work wait longer than the target timeframe for (a) decisions and (b) payments.

The Department publishes official statistics on approvals, expenditure, and customer volumes. However, it does not publish processing times for decisions or payments. Official statistics on approvals and payments are published annually and can be accessed here: Access to Work statistics - GOV.UK

Whether his Department will explore making Access to Work awards portable between jobs.

Customers with an existing Access to Work (AtW) grant must make a new application if they have a new job. This is because the support needed in the new job must be assessed, along with contacting the new employer, who has responsibilities for providing reasonable adjustments. The employer must also understand their role in approving the customer's claims for support used from their AtW grant and and purchasing any equipment a customer cannot transfer from their previous job. Applications from customers starting a new job are prioritised for allocation to a Case Manager – the customer needs to submit their application before they start their new job – they can apply up to 12 weeks before the start date of the new job. Customers can use a Health Adjustment Passport to help inform their new employer of the support they have had in past jobs, such as reasonable adjustments they have had and support funded by AtW. A customer can share the passport with the AtW Case Manager allocated to their case and where appropriate this would negate the need for a new workplace assessment. In the Pathways to Work Green Paper, we consulted on the future of AtW and how to improve the scheme so that it helps more disabled people in work. We are reviewing all aspects of AtW as we develop plans for reform following the conclusion of the consultation.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the time taken for Access to Work on disabled people unable to (a) start and (b) sustain employment.

We are committed to reducing waiting times for Access to Work. We have increased the number of staff processing Access to Work claims by 27% and applications from customers who are about to start a job or who are renewing are prioritised. The Green Paper launched a consultation on the future of Access to Work which has now concluded. We are considering responses to the consultation and will set out our plans in due course.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure Access to Work applications are processed within a reasonable timeframe.

We are committed to reducing waiting times for Access to Work. We have increased the number of staff processing Access to Work claims by 27% and applications from customers who are about to start a job or who are renewing are prioritised. The Green Paper launched a consultation which has now concluded. We are considering responses to the consultation and will set out our plans in due course.

How many Access to Work decisions are overturned following mandatory reconsideration or appeal.

If an individual is unhappy with the outcome of their Access to Work assessment they can request that their award be reviewed by a different Access to Work case manager. This is an internal process, known as a reconsideration. In 2024/25, the Department received 1,378 AtW reconsideration requests. Of these, 953 had a decision recorded, and 188 resulted in the original decision being partially or fully overturned. Please note that the data supplied is derived from unpublished management information, which was collected for internal Departmental use only, and have not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) reducing and (b) reforming the Access to Work budget on the disability employment gap.

We are committed to reducing waiting times for Access to Work. We have increased the number of staff processing Access to Work claims by 27% and applications from customers who are about to start a job or who are renewing are prioritised. The Green Paper launched a consultation on the future of Access to Work which has now concluded. We are considering responses to the consultation and will set out our plans in due course.

If she will publish the most recent data on the number of (a) unemployed benefit claimants and (b) job vacancies by Jobcentre.

A) Claimant count data for the UK is published and available at: Nomis - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics. Data on the number of people claiming out of work benefits is published and available at: Stat-Xplore - Home. B) There are no published statistics on job vacancies by job centre. However, the number of online job adverts by local authorities can be found here: Labour demand volumes by Standard Occupation Classification (SOC 2020), UK - Office for National Statistics