Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Support into Work: Health Conditions

Monday 26 January 2026 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Andrew Lewin welcomed the rise in employment numbers and the expansion of the WorkWell pilot across England.
  • David Chadwick highlighted long delays in Access to Work assessments, raising concerns about job and income risks.
  • Peter Bedford criticized the Government for rising unemployment and bureaucratic delays in the Access to Work scheme.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Andrew Lewin Lab Welwyn Hatfield
NHS Employment
Context

The number of people in employment has risen by 500,000 since July 2024, but there is a need to support those with health conditions further.

Question

I welcome the investment and the news earlier this month from the Office for National Statistics that the number of people in employment has risen by 500,000 since July 2024. I am sure that the Minister will join me in celebrating the fact that more people are entering the labour market under a Labour Government. While we should celebrate progress, we must recognise that there is more to do. What more are the Government going to do to support people with health conditions back into the workplace, and in particular, to build on the success of the WorkWell pilot?

Answer from Diana Johnson (Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions)

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for talking about the WorkWell pilot. When I attended a recent WorkWell session in Cambridge, I was really impressed. Following the success of the pilots, which have so far supported more than 25,000 people, WorkWell will expand across all of England, backed up by a £259 million investment over three years, and could support up to 250,000 people into work. Participants receive proactive early support based on their health-related barriers to employment, such as mental health issues, musculoskeletal problems and other long-term health issues.

Answered
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Q2 David Chadwick Lib Dem Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe
Employment Benefits & Welfare
Context

Constituents are experiencing delays of nine months for assessments and a year or more for changes of circumstances under the Access to Work scheme.

Question

Access to Work is meant to help disabled people to stay in employment, yet numerous constituents tell me they have been waiting more than nine months for an assessment, and a year or more for changes of circumstances. Those delays are putting jobs and incomes at risk. How many people has the Department assessed as losing work because of the delays and what urgent action is being taken to clear that backlog?

Answer from Diana Johnson (Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions)

The hon. Gentleman mentions an important scheme that enables people to move into work and stay in work. It is right to say that there have been some issues with Access to Work. More resources have gone in to ensure that those who are moving into work in particular are prioritised by the scheme. I am sure that the Minister for Social Security and Disability, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Ham (Sir Stephen Timms), who leads on Access to Work, can write to the hon. Gentleman with further detail on what more we are doing.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Number of people losing work due to delays and specific urgent actions taken

How: Will Focus On, Under Review

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Q3 Peter Bedford Con Mid Leicestershire
NHS Employment
Context

There are issues with bureaucracy and delays in the Access to Work scheme, impacting disabled people's ability to get timely support.

Question

As a result of this Government’s economic vandalism, unemployment continues to rise, particularly among young people and those with disabilities. Now more than ever, it is crucial that we support people back into work, but the Access to Work scheme is overly bureaucratic and faces significant delays. Indeed, at the weekend, one of my constituents told me they had been asked by a Department official to fill in a fraudulent timesheet in order to be paid on time. What is the Minister doing to get this programme back on track so that disabled people have the support they deserve and are contributing to the broader economy?

Answer from Diana Johnson (Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions)

As I just set out to the hon. Member for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe (David Chadwick), there have been some problems with Access to Work, but it is this Government who are dealing with them. We have already put in resources, with a particular focus on individuals who are moving into work to make sure they get access to whatever support they need. Again, I am very happy to provide further details of what additional support we have put in, but it is this Government who are actually dealing with these problems and ensuring that people with disabilities and long-term health conditions have what they need to support them into work and to keep them in work.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific steps addressing bureaucracy and delays, fraudulent timesheets issue

How: Under Review, Working On

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