Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of invoices for support under the Access to Work scheme were paid within 30 days in (a) 2022 and (b) to date in 2023; and what steps his Department is taking to reduce the time taken to pay of Access to Work scheme invoices.

The data to produce the requested information is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

However, we are transforming the Access to Work service through increased digitalisation, which will make the service more efficient, will make the application process easier, and will improve the time taken from application through to decision. We are also currently testing a revised digital payment journey for Access to Work claims which will provide Access to Work customers with the ability to submit claim information electronically. Moving away from the current clerical process will provide a more efficient, streamlined service for customers.