Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, why Access to Work claim forms require certification by an employer or support worker.

The Department for Work and Pensions has an obligation to handle public resources to high standards of probity, including standards of accountability and transparency, and this duty requires that there are clear audit trails for transactions involving public funds. In order to meet the necessary standards, we have to ensure that the evidence supporting decisions regarding Access to Work awards is current and relevant.

Access to Work can provide support of up to a maximum of £42,100 per year beyond that which is required from employers as reasonable adjustments. The process of deciding and recording an award requires a number of pieces of evidence, including evidence of what reasonable adjustment has been put in place by an employer.