Access to Work Programme

Work and Pensions written question – answered at on 21 December 2010.

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Photo of Rehman Chishti Rehman Chishti Conservative, Gillingham and Rainham

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has plans to review the level of employer contribution to the Access to Work programme.

Photo of Maria Miller Maria Miller The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

Access to Work is a programme that supports disabled people with the extra costs they may face over and above what would be judged to be reasonable for the employer to cover themselves to fulfil their legal obligations under equality legislation.

The level of contributions made by employers was adjusted from April 2010 so that larger employers contribute more than small employers, with micro employers exempted from contributions. We will keep the level of expected contributions under review, to ensure that employers contribute at a reasonable level and the programme continues to be as effective and efficient as possible.

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Justin Time
Posted on 26 Jan 2011 5:53 pm (Report this annotation)

What is actually happening is that many large employers are no longer applying for Access to Work support. They are either not supporting disabled workers at all, or are providing the lowest level of direct support that will avoid them running foul of the Equalities Act.

If they apply for Access to Work support, and Access to Work suggest, say, £6,000 worth of equipment, software and training, then tell them they won't fund it, the employers are probably afraid that they are then obliged to spend this amount or fall foul of the Equalities Act. Employers may even worry that having made themselves 'visible', Access to Work will precipitate action under the Equalities Act.

So, they just don't apply in the first place.

If Maria Miller doesn't believe this, ask Access to Work how many applications they have received since October 2010. I guarantee that they have dropped to about a quarter of their levels for the same period a year ago, especially during December 2010 and January 2011.

But maybe the Minister already knows this. Without actually reducing Access to Work's budget, she can achieve considerable 'savings' and point her finger at employers as the bad guys.

What about the future cost to the benefits system as the number of unemployed disabled people starts to increase?