Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reductions in Access to Work awards on business continuity for self-employed people and small employers.

Demand for Access to Work (AtW) has been growing. The number of customers in receipt of payment continues to increase with 74,190 customers receiving a payment for provision in 2024/25. This is an increase of 10% compared with 2023/24. In 2024/5 Access to Work supported 7,080 self-employed customers.

The Pathways to Work Green Paper launched a consultation which has now concluded. We will make use of the outcomes of the Green Paper consultation, the Collaboration Committees, and upcoming work of the Independent Disability Advisory Panel to inform the future direction of Access to Work. We will work closely with stakeholders, including self-employed and Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs).