Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason claimants who have an appointed representative are unable to access the same online Access to Work portal as other claimants; what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of this on disabled people who require appointee support; and whether his Department has assessed the compatibility of these arrangements under the Equality Act 2010 including for reasonable adjustments.

The Access to Work online service has been designed to enable customers to manage their claims securely following identity verification using GOV.UK One Login. At present, the service does not support appointees accessing or submitting claims on behalf of customers. This is because the current service relies on individual identity verification to protect customers' personal information and maintain the security and integrity of the claims process, using GOV.UK One Login.

DWP is committed to ensuring Access to Work services are accessible to all customers. Customers can apply for Access to Work support and renew existing awards through the online service, which has been developed in line with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 and is fully compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standard.

Recognising that some customers may be unable to use the online service, alternative channels remain available. Customers can contact Access to Work by telephone and, for those who are unable to hear or speak on the phone, Relay UK is available as an alternative communication route.

The Department keeps its services under review and is committed to meeting accessibility and reasonable adjustment requirements that are considered as part of the design and delivery of Access to Work services.

Digital work is currently planned to commence during the second half of financial year 2027-28 to explore the barriers preventing appointees from accessing the online service and to identify potential options for enabling appointee access in the future, while maintaining appropriate security and identity assurance standards.