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Support worker Lauren Toovey has not received payment for six weeks while continuing to support George Baker, who has congenital muscular dystrophy. Together, they work closely as George runs The Disability Union, an organisation advocating for thousands of disabled individuals. Lauren describes her role as serving as George’s “arms and legs in an office,” helping him accomplish tasks necessary to keep the organisation functioning smoothly.
Both Lauren and George are affected by mounting delays in the Access to Work scheme, a government initiative designed to provide disabled employees with necessary support, including equipment and assistance from support workers. Campaigners have described these delays as “devastating.” In response, the government stated that it added 55 new case workers in January to address the backlog and is taking steps to “streamline our processes.” Despite providing all necessary documentation ahead of a mid-December deadline, George’s latest review remains unprocessed, resulting in his support worker going unpaid.
Lauren has been assisting George without pay, an arrangement she finds unsustainable despite her willingness to help. She admits the situation is “very draining” and shares, “I’ve got bills to pay. It takes a toll on me and my family, but I don’t want to leave George without the support, but obviously it’s not a long term solution.” Her duties include physical tasks such as typing and sorting mail, as well as helping George communicate during meetings when his ventilator affects speech clarity. George stresses the importance of Lauren’s role, saying, “She’s doing the things that I can’t do for myself. Without that, the business just won’t function.”
The delays in Access to Work have also impacted others relying on the scheme. New applicants face waits exceeding 30 weeks—over double last year’s 85-day wait. For example, Rosie, a driving instructor from East Yorkshire, has endured a year-long wait for support following a debilitating ADHD burnout that significantly reduced her working hours. Meanwhile, Dr Danielle Verity, an NHS clinical psychologist with a visual impairment, has recently had her support worker hours cut without warning, forcing her to reduce her clinic sessions. She expresses concern about her career future, noting, “There’s no career progression. I’ve almost kind of plateaued in the hope that I can keep at the job that I currently do.” Dr Shani Dhanda, co-founder of the volunteer group Access to Work Collective, echoes these concerns, emphasizing that the program’s purpose is currently undermined by administrative difficulties.
The government acknowledges a notable increase in Access to Work applications over the past two years but says the reason for this rise is unclear. Since January 2023, 495 new or redeployed staff have joined the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to assist the scheme, in addition to the 55 case workers added in January 2026. The scheme’s expenses have risen significantly, especially the costs for support workers, which have grown from £78 million in 2012 to £227 million in 2025. Spending on special aids and equipment has also increased, though less dramatically, from £8 million in 2010 to £19 million last year. Despite sympathizing with the pressures faced by his case manager, George describes the situation as “extremely stressful.” The DWP noted that the future of Access to Work was discussed in the Pathways to Work Green Paper and that it is currently considering how to respond
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