The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has sparked outrage among benefits claimants after slashing Access to Work grants, with some facing up to 80 percent less support. Angry recipients have voiced their frustrations in a series of interviews with a prominent UK publication.
Claimants Share Their Stories
Tomasz Borys, a deaf council worker, has been hit by a cap on his Access to Work grants. The support is capped at around £69,000 per year. Borys, whose first language is British Sign Language, finds that the cost of interpreters—typically £30 to £70 per hour—quickly depletes the funding, often well before the end of the working year.
Emily Davison, a legally blind journalist, told the Big Issue that her support worker hours were cut by 80 percent earlier this year, from 37 hours per week to just eight. This drastic reduction could force her out of work. “It was a bombshell,” she said. “It made my mental health really spiral – I was just so distraught.”
Impact on Lives
Davison expressed shock not only for herself but also for her support worker, who has lost income. “He’s a carer. What’s he supposed to do?” she asked. She also highlighted the stigma disabled people face: “Don’t you think disabled people want to be in work? Do you honestly think any disabled person wants to be degraded and questioned and gaslit all the time? Because that’s what the benefits system can do to you.”
“We want to work. And we’re fed this narrative that we’re lazy… But if you’ve got someone who’s had their hours cut and they can’t sustain a job, what are they supposed to do?” she added.
DWP Response
A DWP spokesperson said that Access to Work “supports thousands of sick or disabled people to start or stay in work, but the scheme we inherited is failing employees and employers.” The statement did not address the specific cuts or provide a timeline for changes.
