Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans her Department has to support Access to Work applicants facing delays in the processing of their application; and if she will make a statement.

Access to Work are currently receiving an increased level of applications for support and are working through all applications to ensure that they are progressed as soon as possible.

For applications where a customer is due to begin a job in the next 4 weeks (whether employed or self-employed), and renewal applications for on-going support, their case will be prioritised and contact made as soon as possible. The Department is currently recruiting and training more people to work on Access to Work, as well the use of overtime working to support reducing the outstanding claim volumes.