An investigation into the UK government’s Access to Work scheme has highlighted concerns over rising costs and expanding claims, particularly related to mental health conditions. The programme, established in 1994 to support disabled individuals in gaining and maintaining employment, has seen a significant increase in expenditure in recent years, prompting calls for closer scrutiny and potential reform.

Maddy Alexander-Grout, an ADHD coach diagnosed with multiple conditions including autism, dyslexia, and PMDD, has received substantial support through the scheme. After initially being granted £13,000, her funding increased to £56,000 the following year. This money was used to employ two part-time personal assistants who helped manage her diary, provided technical support, and assisted with administrative tasks related to her online coaching business. Alexander-Grout described this support as a “game-changer,” enabling her to generate £120,000 in revenue last year. However, she said that after the grant was not renewed this year, her business was “hanging on by a thread.”

Data from a recent welfare inquiry shows that a small proportion of recipients—less than 3 percent—account for around one-third of the scheme’s total grant expenditure, averaging about £50,000 each. Some claims include costs exceeding typical limits, such as £137,000 for a personal assistant and £73,700 spent on taxis for individuals with mental health conditions. In one instance, a recipient was reimbursed over £130,000 for two years of taxi travel. Other cases involved funding for personal assistants performing duties like proofreading emails, organising filing systems, and interpreting documents, with sums reaching as high as £149,500 across two years.

Officials from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have acknowledged that the system is under strain, attributing the rapid cost increases to a surge in applications for taxis and personal assistants, often referred to as “job aides.” Projections suggest that, if current trends continue, the programme could cost £475 million annually by the end of the decade—roughly two and a half times the expenses reported before the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.

Supporters of the scheme argue that Access to Work provides vital aid that helps disabled individuals maintain employment and foster economic independence. Alexander-Grout herself now coaches others on navigating the grant application process, describing her role as a “salesperson” despite not being able to manage the core administrative tasks of her own business without assistance.

The findings have spurred an ongoing Welfare Inquiry examining the broader challenges within the UK benefits system, its financial sustainability, and the potential economic benefits of overhauling programme design and oversight. As the government reviews this critical support mechanism, balancing adequate assistance with fiscal responsibility remains a central concern.