Recommendation 24

HM Government Accepted

DWP has developed a series of tailored Adjustments Passports with stakeholders to support at key points in the transition into employment. The passport pilots have been delivered in a variety of settings to enable DWP to gain an understanding of whether introducing a passport can support a more coherent journey of adjustment support, reduce the need for assessments where needs remain the same and empower the passport holder to have a more confident conversation with potential employers about their workplace adjustments. The passports all follow the same format, supporting the Access to Work decision making process, while the language and layout reflects the needs of the users. Two of the Adjustments Passport pilots supporting disabled jobseekers and armed forces service leavers have been rolled out nationally, with the third supporting university students being rolled out in Autumn 2023. Building on the success of the tailored Adjustments Passport, work is underway to develop a generic passport to support disabled people and those with a health condition with the transition into employment and support those who need support whilst in employment. This will provide the user with: • An up-to-date, transferable record of their working requirements and adjustments • A communication tool to empower them to have more structured discussions with employers • A clear view of the in-work support available by raising awareness of Access to Work, for the user and their employer; and Support with their Access to Work application by reducing the need for an assessment if the needs are documented. Conclusion and recommendation 25 The Access to Work system is outdated and often unable to accept online document submission or e-signatures. A system that requires applications and claims must be sent in by hand acts as a practical barrier to support. DWP needs to update the Access to Work document submission process so that all documentation can be submitted online. It should do this by the end of 2023. (Paragraph 150) Response While there has been an online way for customers to apply for Access to Work since 2017, in June 2023 DWP introduced a new online process for customers to be able to claim the Access to Work grant. This enables customers to submit new claims online, upload evidence where appropriate, have their claims digitally countersigned, view previously submitted claims and see how much of their grant is left. The paper claim form can still be used by those who are not able to use the digital service.