VerbatimParliament, as it happens

Access to Work Programme

Asked by Catherine FookesLabourDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled Answered 11 April 2025UIN 44052

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Pathways to work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published in March 2025, what steps she is taking to (a) reduce levels of time taken to access Access to Work applications and (b) ensure that those levels of time do not prohibit people from taking up offers of employment.

Answered by Sir Stephen Timms

We are committed to reducing waiting times for Access to Work and are considering the best way to deliver that for customers. We have (a) increased the number of staff processing Access to Work claims and (b) prioritised applications from customers who are about to start a job or who are renewing.

Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →

Open this question in Verbatim →

Every written question, searchable

155,000 questions tabled since the election, with the answer each department gave — and the ones still unanswered, with the clock running. Free to search.

Search written questions →Read on Verbatim