Guidance

Access to Work statistics: background information and methodology

Provides background information on the Access to Work programme and the statistics we publish on it.

• From: Department for Work and Pensions
• Published: 10 October 2017
• Last updated: 29 January 2026
  Show all updates

  1. 29 January 2026

     Revised Access to Work approvals statistics for factual accuracy and improvements

  2. 14 October 2025

     Revised to support the latest release of Access to Work statistics, also published today (14 October 2025).

  3. 31 October 2024

     The background note has been revised to support the latest release of Access to Work statistics, also published today (31 October 2024).

  4. 20 October 2022

     The background note has been revised to support the latest release of Access to Work statistics, also published today (20 October 2022). In the section on the context of the statistics the customer journey has been updated and a new entry for Proof of Concept added to the table of changes. New information about Communication Support has been added to the Limitations section, and information about COVID-19 added to the section on Comparisons. Information about the Access to Work Integrated System (ATWIS) has been added to the section on Sources.

  5. 29 September 2021

     Revised to support the latest release of Access to Work statistics (data from April 2007 to March 2021). Added a new section called 'Access to Work support during COVID-19'. Information has been added to the 'Limitations' section and to the table of key policy, operational and legislative changes. The revised version is dated September 2021.

  6. 9 September 2020

     Revised to support the latest release of Access to Work statistics, also published today (9 September 2020).

  7. 7 August 2019

     Updated background information and methodology document - revised to support the latest release of Access to Work statistics (data from April 2007 to March 2019). The revised version is dated August 2019.

  8. 30 October 2018

     Updated background information and methodology document - revised to support the latest release of Access to Work statistics (data from April 2007 to March 2018). The revised version is dated October 2018.

  9. 10 October 2017

     First published.

Documents

Access to Work statistics: background information and methodology

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Details

This note provides information on the Access to Work statistics, including the context, purpose and limitations of the statistics.

Find contact information and more about DWP statistics on the Statistics at DWP page.