Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to reform the Access to Work scheme for disabled people including introducing portable passports.

Access to Work is transforming the service it provides and is working to deliver a modern, efficient, and accessible digital service that provides an improved user experience. A key part of this transformation will be the development of a new digital online portal that will let users claim their grant online, view previously submitted claims and the balance of the grant remaining. The online application and renewal journeys are also being redesigned to deliver a more usable, inclusive service that provides improved clearance times and greater efficiency.

In May 2022, a new Health Adjustment Passport was rolled out across Jobcentres to support disabled jobseekers enabling more structured conversations about their disability and in work support needs with their work coach and potential employers. This initiative is raising the visibility of in-work support, supporting Access to Work applications by reducing the need for an assessment, and making it easier to move between employment opportunities.

In 2022, an Adjustment Passport pilot was delivered by Manchester Metropolitan University, Wolverhampton University and Kings College London to support the transition between education and employment. The evaluation has been published by the universities, and the findings will inform future roll out of the passport. The pilot has now been expanded to young disabled people on Department for Education training programmes.