Evaluation of Access to Work Plus – Qualitative research with employees, employers and DWP staff involved in the Access to Work Plus Proof of Concept

Question 1

1.  Introduction

Accepted Answer

This report presents findings from a qualitative study conducted with employees, employers, and case managers involved in the Access to Work Plus Proof of Concept (AtW+). Through 32 semi-structured interviews, the study examined the delivery of AtW+, the experiences of those involved, and its perceived impacts. The research was undertaken by The Policy Institute at King’s College London on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). This chapter introduces the study, outlining its background, objectives, as well as detailing the research approach and methodology.

1.1 Background

The DWP is committed to increasing employment opportunities for disabled people, supporting their in-work progression, and improving their overall quality of life. Currently, DWP provides employment support to disabled people in a number of ways. One of these is the Access to Work (AtW) scheme that provides financial assistance for workplace adjustments that go beyond what employers are legally required to provide under “reasonable adjustments”. However, some disabled people require more extensive support than standard AtW can offer.

In 2023, the government committed to explore additional support for individuals with significant in-work needs, as outlined in the 2023 Health and Disability White Paper ^{[footnote 1]}. To address this, DWP developed and trialled a new Proof of Concept called Access to Work Plus (AtW+). The pilot was rolled out between May 2022 and March 2024.

What is AtW+?

AtW+ was developed to enable disabled people who require extensive adjustments to work to enter or sustain employment. It provides enhanced financial support for both employees and employers, if the employer has adapted the workplace or shaped the job role.

AtW+ is an extension of the standard AtW scheme, specifically targeting individuals with higher in-work support needs who may require more assistance than the current AtW scheme provides. AtW+ introduces an “enhanced personal element”, which offers support that is not available under standard AtW, alongside a new “employer element”, which provides financial incentives for employers who adjust job roles to accommodate disability requirements. The “employer element” is not available in the standard AtW scheme, and can be a one-off payment for workplace adjustments or up to £3,000 annually for employers who modify job roles to support disabled employees. The “personal” and “employer” funding elements can be used independently or combined to enhance available support.

Table 1 provides an overview of the key differences between standard AtW and AtW+. The subsequent section provides more information about each element.

Table 1. Key differences between standard AtW and AtW+

	Standard AtW	AtW+
Eligibility criteria	Open to individuals with disabilities and/or long-term health conditions needing workplace support.	Includes all standard AtW criteria. In addition, the individual must have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), be known to Adult Social Care, in the ESA support group or UC limited capability for work related activity category, those requiring extensive support beyond standard AtW scheme, and those where the employer has shaped or adapted the job, with eligibility confirmed by an enhanced holistic assessment.
Application process	Employees apply directly. Assessments are carried out to determine needs, and support is allocated.	AtW+ Phase 1: Employees apply directly. Enhanced Holistic Assessment determines needs, and support is allocated. AtW+ Phase 2: Employees apply directly, and the employer or third party submit a referral form for AtW+ to support the AtW+ application, which enables case managers to identify AtW+ applications.
Funding for employees	Up to £69,260 per year (in 2024/25) for support such as equipment, support workers, time-limited job coaching, BSL interpreters, communication support, additional travel-to-work costs, up to 20% job replacement, mental health support (workplace coping strategies).	Provides additional funding up to the standard AtW scheme ceiling of £69,260 for individuals with extensive support needs, but also includes funding for additional supervision, job replacement up to 50%, job coaching on an ongoing basis and the employer element for job shaping.
Funding for employers	No direct financial incentive for job role adaptations.	Employers can receive up to £3,000 per year for adapting job roles to accommodate disabled employees based on hours worked, and a one-off payment up to £1,000 if workplace adjustments have been made to accommodate the disabled employee to take up employment
Pre-employment support	Work experience can be funded for up to 8 weeks in a 12-month period. To enable individuals to test out job roles and retain benefits.	As with standard AtW up to 8 weeks of pre-employment work experience with financial support to retain benefits, and requirement for employers to conduct a job interview or offer temporary or permanent employment at the end of work experience.

Detailed information about AtW+

Applying for AtW+

To enable case managers to process AtW+ applications, AtW+ training was delivered, and guidance was developed to support case managers and employees. Due to a high volume of ineligible AtW+ applicants in Phase 1, the application process was changed in Phase 2. In Phase 2, the employee still made the application, but additionally the employer or third-party made a referral to support the application. Once the AtW+ application was received, the case manager reviewed the application to establish if the AtW+ eligibility criteria was met. To make this decision the case manager may have had to contact the employee, the appointee or representative, or the employer.

Eligibility for AtW+

AtW+ was available to applicants over 16 years of age who wanted to work and met at least one of the following criteria:

known to Adult Social Care
have, or previously had, an Education, Health and Care Plan (England), Individual Development Plan (Wales), or Statement of Special Educational Needs (Scotland)
are in the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) Support Group or Universal Credit (UC) Limited Capability for Work-Related Activity (LCWRA) Group
have a long-term support need beyond the existing AtW offer, as determined through an enhanced holistic assessment
work in a job that the employer has shaped or adapted and made adjustments to the workplace to accommodate the employee and enable them to take up employment.

Enhanced holistic assessment

If the employee applying for AtW+ met one of the above criteria, the next step was an enhanced face-to-face holistic assessment called an Enhanced Holistic Assessment, which was carried out by a DWP contracted assessment supplier in the applicant’s workplace. The employer and the AtW+ customer met with the assessor to identify the support needed to deliver the job role. The case manager reviewed the report which included a description of barriers that the employee faced when completing their role, an assessment of needs and adjustments already in place, alongside recommendations for support under AtW+.

Awarding funding

The case managers then reviewed the Enhanced Holistic Assessment report and made a decision as to whether an offer of support could be made. This could be up to 3 years or the length of the applicant’s employment contract, whichever was the shorter of the two. The upper total limit of funding was £66,000 for 2023/24 and £69,260 for 2024/25. Once the case manager had made a decision, they made an offer of support to the employee. The employees and employers were then notified and could begin claiming their awards.

The specific funding components in AtW+ were:

1. Enhanced Personal Element (for employees)

AtW+ Supervision: Covers the cost of additional supervision in excess of what is usually required to deliver the job.
AtW+ Job Aide: Provides job replacement support for another person to complete tasks. In excess of the 20% covered in standard AtW scheme but limited to 50% of the employees’ contracted hours per week.
AtW+ Job Coach: Offers job coaching on an ongoing basis. Limited to the number of hours a person is contracted to work per week.

2. Employer Element (for employers that adapt the workplace or job role to accommodate an employee’s disability or health condition)

Adapted Workplace: a one-off payment of up to £1,000 for workplace adaptations made to the workplace specifically for the individual to enable them to take up employment.
Adapted Job Roles / Job Shaping: Up to £3,000 per year for adapting job roles to accommodate disabled employee’s disability, based on the number of hours the employee works. This can include productivity flexibility, adjustments to the scope and pace of the role, and flexible working hours.

Implementation of AtW+

The AtW+ Proof of Concept was implemented across 2 phases, involving 131 employers and 172 employees:

Phase 1 (May 2022 – December 2022): Initially approved 54 employees, and 34 received payment, before being paused.
Phase 2 (June 2023 – March 2024): Relaunched, approving 118 new employees.

As such, at the time of writing, there are still employees and employers who are receiving support from the AtW+ pilot, but it is no longer possible to apply for new support.

The main difference between Phase 1 and Phase 2 was the application process. In both Phase 1 and Phase 2, customers made the AtW+ applications but in Phase 2, employers or third parties additionally had to submit a referral form.

1.2 Aims and objectives

The research aimed to explore the experiences of participants and delivery staff in the AtW+ scheme and assess its feasibility for wider implementation.

The research aimed to address the following key research questions:

Effectiveness and implementation of AtW+

Does the AtW+ process work effectively, and what improvements could enhance service delivery?
How do employers and employees perceive the process of securing AtW+ funding?
How does AtW+ compare to the standard AtW scheme in meeting employee and employer needs?
What are the perspectives of employers and employees of the quality and adequacy of the support received?

Impact on employees

What impact does AtW+ have on employees’ experiences of work, including their job satisfaction, career progression, ability to sustain employment in the long-term, and overall wellbeing?

Impact on employers

How does the job shaping element of AtW+ attract employers? In what ways do they use this support?
What impact does AtW+ have on employers’ willingness and capacity to hire disabled employees? Would they be able to employ disabled individuals without this additional funding?

1.3 Methodology

This study employed a qualitative approach, incorporating interviews and focus groups with employees, employers and case managers involved in AtW+.

Sampling

The study was designed as a small-scale, exploratory investigation. A total of 32 semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with key participants involved in AtW+ between August 2024 and January 2025:

8 interviews with DWP case managers who had been involved in delivering AtW+.
10 interviews and focus groups with employers who had received financial support to help them employ people with high in-work support needs. This involved a total of 15 staff members.
14 interviews with employees (or their appointees) who had received in-work support through AtW+.

Participants were purposively selected from samples provided by DWP, representing individuals involved in both Phase 1 and 2 of AtW+. This approach aimed to ensure a diversity of perspectives and experiences.

Case managers were selected to cover those involved in both phases of AtW+.
Employers were chosen to represent organisations of different sectors, regions and support received.
Employees were chosen to reflect a mix of sex, age, health condition, ethnicity, working hours, sector, and support received.

Appendix 2 includes more information about participants who were interviewed.

Recruitment

Case managers were informed by DWP about the research and approached over email by the research team. Employees were sent a letter explaining the research, which was followed up by a combination of texts, email, and phone calls to invite them to take part. Where appropriate, we contacted legal appointees who have applied for and been appointed by the DWP to act on behalf of an individual. Employers were recruited over email. All recruitment ensured participants were aware that the research was voluntary, and they could opt-out at any point.

Data collection and analysis

Interviews were conducted by researchers from The Policy Institute at King’s College London, using discussion guides agreed with DWP see Appendix 2 and lasting around 45 minutes each. Participants had the option to take part online, by phone or in person, based on their preference. All interviews were recorded with permission of participants and professionally transcribed. Data analysis followed a case-and-theme framework approach, involving a process of detection, categorisation and classification to identify key themes and patterns across participant experiences.

Limitations

Qualitative research using purposive sampling is designed to provide in-depth insights into experiences, rather than to generate statistically representative findings, or to quantify responses or measure prevalence. As such, while this study offers valuable perspectives, the results are not necessarily generalisable to all individuals involved in AtW+, or those who may participate in the future. Where impact is discussed, this relates to perceived impact as described by participants.

1.4 Report structure

The rest of this report is structured as follows. The first 2 chapters explores the experiences and impact of the support received as part of AtW+.

Chapter 2: Experiences of support.

This chapter describes the different types of support that employees and employers reported receiving as part of AtW+, and their experiences of this support.

Chapter 3: Impact of support.

This chapter describes the perceived impacts of AtW+ reported by employees and employers during interviews.

The next 3 chapters provide more detail about the different parts of the application process, including the initial application, the enhanced holistic assessment, and the funding award.

Chapter 4: Application process.

This chapter explores experiences of the application process, both from the perspective of employees, employers and case managers.

Chapter 5: Enhanced holistic assessment.

This chapter explores the experiences of the enhanced holistic assessment, both from the perspective of employees, employers and case managers.

Chapter 6: Funding award.

This chapter explores the level of satisfaction with funding awarded from the perspective of employees and employers, and the process of determining the appropriate support offer from the perspective of case managers.

The final 3 chapters provide some more overarching reflections, one describing the differences between the standard AtW scheme and AtW+, one with participants’ reflections and suggestions of improvements, and the final chapter with overarching conclusions and recommendations.

Chapter 7: Comparing standard AtW and AtW+.

This chapter explores the perspectives of the differences between standard AtW and AtW+.

Chapter 8: Reflections and improvements.

This chapter explores participants’ broader views on the success of AtW+, and it explores suggestions made by employees, employers and case managers to improve AtW+.

Chapter 9: Conclusion.

The conclusion discusses the overall findings and proposes recommendations for how AtW+ could be improved going forward.

The appendices provide more information about AtW+, the research methodology and sample.

Appendix 1: Discussion guides.

This appendix outlines the 3 topic guides used for interviews with employees, employers and case managers.

Appendix 2: Interview sample.

This appendix provides information about the interview sample according to different demographic characteristics.

Question 2

2.  Experiences of support

Accepted Answer

This chapter describes the different types of support that employees and employers reported receiving, as well as their experiences of this support.

2.1 Types of support received

All employers and employees interviewed were awarded AtW+ funding and received some support through the scheme. They described receiving a range of support as part of the AtW+ award, which are detailed below.

Job aide

Employees and employers described receiving funding for job aides as part of their AtW+ award. The support provided by job aides was described positively, with employers highlighting their role in keeping employees focused, ensuring they had the necessary equipment, and maintaining workplace safety.

What the support worker does, he keeps him on task. With autism, his mind drifts quite easily… The support worker makes sure he’s prepared, he’s got all the tools and his equipment, he attends his training

– Employer 2

Some employees also found reassurance in knowing they had been awarded 3 years of support, as it alleviated concerns about reapplying for support in the near future.

Job coach

Job coaching was another element of AtW+ that interviewees reported receiving as part of their award. Employees described their interactions with job coaches positively, emphasising how their support helped them improve their work performance.

Some job coaches regularly checked in with employees, throughout the day and joined them at the end of their shifts to reflect on the day and their progress. Employees would seek guidance on work tasks and responsibilities they found challenging, and job coaches would help them explore different methods to address these challenges. In addition, job coaches would speak to managers on behalf of employees and provide ongoing support with office management and self-management in the workplace.

… I would sort of bring up particular areas of work that I maybe struggle with, and then we would kind of talk through them, break down what was involved in the particular area, what it was that I struggled with, what sort of the impact was.

– Employee 5

Employers also praised the work of job coaches, highlighting their positive impact on employees’ ability to fulfil their role. Job coaches served as the employees’ first point of contact, reducing the need for employees to reach out directly to their employer when they needed assistance.

Job coaches also helped employees settle into their roles and assisted them with buying workplace adjustment equipment, such as noise-cancelling headphones. Employers described how job coaches helped improve the work environment for employees and supported on how to use job shaping. This was achieved through actions plans developed by job coaches for employees and shared with employers. Job coaches also conducted workplace assessments and advised employers on potential support measures they could provide for the employee.

Although job coaches generally received positive feedback, some employees reported having minimal interactions with their job coach. Others reported difficulty finding a job coach that suited their needs, with some having to switch their job coach.

Adapted Job Roles

In some cases, employers claimed the AtW+ award to adapt job roles, a process also referred to as job shaping, to better accommodate the needs of employees. When possible, conversations around job shaping involved the employee, their appointees, and employers. The funding allowed employers to adapt the role to the employees’ needs, including by adapting training, tasks, and providing additional breaks when necessary.

I’ve been getting allowed more time since the walking has become a problem.

– Employee 6

Job shaping was extremely helpful for employers, enabling them to introduce flexibility to the employees’ roles. As an example, for one employee, the adaptations helped create a safe and supportive work environment that supported their individual needs while allowing them to carry out their responsibilities.

So he needs that flexibility of staying on the site a bit longer…maybe having more breaks in between…as an outdoor worker…there’s a lot of stop start stop start, but this with the additional funding, they seem to be able to be willing to give him the support to allow him to access the same as a mainstream person.

– Employee Appointee 13

However, not all employers were aware that job shaping was an available element of AtW+. Some reported never hearing about job shaping during their application process.

Adapted Workplace

As part of their AtW+ awards, employers could get funding for up to £1,000 as a one-off cost for adaptations they had already made to the workplace to accommodate a specific disability need. For instance, an employer provided an example where their employee was provided their own space to work in if needed.

Additional types of support

In addition to the types of support outlined in the AtW+ design, employees and employers also reported receiving support that is covered under both the standard AtW and the AtW+ scheme. This included funding, for some participants, to cover travel to work costs and disability awareness training.

Employees who received these elements as part of their AtW+ award did not necessarily know that this would also have been part of the standard AtW award. As a result, these elements shaped their overall perception of AtW+. Given their importance in understanding some employers and employees’ experiences and their overall views of scheme impact, these aspects have been included in the findings.

Travel to work

Transportation support was essential for some employees, enabling them to commute to and from work.

Taxi travel extremely vital otherwise would not be able to get to work and home.

– Employee 11

However, some employers raised concerns about travel support, particularly regarding budget allocations. Some found the claim amounts confusing and believed the allocated budget was disproportionately high.

There’s still elements of it I don’t quite understand… we could claim up to 55,000 pounds for his travel alone over 3 years, which just seemed such a huge amount of money and actually not so necessary …

– Employer 6

Equipment

Funding for workplace equipment was highly valued by interviewed employers who reported that AtW+ had provided funding for items such as furniture, software, Dictaphones, specialised headsets, and noise cancelling headphones. Some employers believed the equipment funding was the most successful element of AtW+ support, though this is part of standard AtW and not part of AtW+.

…most successful elements have been for technology that would otherwise obviously be quite costly… he got access to was a specialised headset… and that obviously allows him to get on with that work without it, sort of being very loud for the rest of the staff in the office.

– Employer 6

Education

Employers also reported receiving funding to educate team members about different disabilities and to train them on how to effectively communicate and interact appropriately with colleagues with disabilities. Those employers believed the training was an extremely positive element of AtW+, though this is applicable to standard AtW and isn’t specific to AtW+.

2.2 Experiences of support received

What went well

Employers and employees identified several reasons why they had positive experiences with AtW+ support.

One key benefit was the reassurance and guidance the support provided, ensuring that employees could be supported in their jobs. It also helped employees develop coping strategies, and, in some cases, some employees required less support over time to be more independent in their job.

Employers also found value in job coaches, appreciating the expertise they brought to supporting employees in the workplace, which was described as reassuring.

… I find it very helpful… if I didn’t have any of this, I wouldn’t be able to sort out any of my queries and stuff with my employer by myself. And if I have this job aide, job coach, to help me sort out my queries.

– Employee 3

Another praised aspect of AtW+ was the ability to tailor support to the individual employee’s needs. Some employees were assigned different tasks to keep them engaged and interested in their work, while others received online sessions specifically designed to their condition. Employers emphasised that personalised support had been vital for the success of AtW+ support.

Not everybody with autism has the same issues. What one support worker would have to support one person with, be totally different in another support worker. … I think being able to tailor that support for that person is really important.

– Employer 2

Employers reported observing visible progress in their employees’ wellbeing and performance. Employees who received the support they asked for had been able to effectively complete their work because of it. The 3 elements of support had been essential for employers, suggesting that, if any were removed, AtW+ would not be as successful. Employers credited the support as the only way people with disabilities could find employment, often describing the support as “worthwhile” and “fantastic”.

I’m not confident that he could have went the whole 9 months of his contract without the support. I think that support was absolutely the key difference between him getting settled, becoming like a really well thought of member of the team and … not just finishing his contract.

– Employer 9

Potential improvements

While many employers and employees interviewed reported positive experiences, some participants identified challenges, for a number of reasons described in more detail below and throughout the report. It is important to note that these were not universally shared across the interview sample but reflect some important perceptions of some participants.

Skill of job coaches

AtW+ provides funding for job coaches, and individuals are required to source job coaches themselves, which is also the case on standard AtW. Some employees highlighted that their job coach lacked an understanding about their specific condition. In one example, an employee reported that their job coach did not know how to work effectively with individuals with autism, limiting the effectiveness of the support provided.

Timeliness of payments

A key practical issue was the slow processing of payments, a challenge that has also been identified in the standard AtW scheme. In some cases, job coaches reported waiting months or even years to receive their first payment from AtW+. Some employers stated that they could only provide financial support themselves up to a certain point, after which they could no longer sustain the costs. This meant that some employers had to ask employees to stop working until AtW+ funding came through.

I’ve been chasing … Obviously it was like an expected cost for the organisation in the short term, but then expected to be covered back by the DWP afterwards, but hasn’t yet been.

– Employee Support Worker 14

We’ve had to say, ‘We can’t keep you in work at the moment because we can’t pay for a support worker…’ It’s not fair on them to accumulate such a big bill. … as soon as their supports in place, they can get there.

– Employer 2

Implementation of support after receiving funding

As with the standard AtW scheme, employers sometimes faced challenges in the practical implementation of AtW+ support. This could be due to difficulties finding a job coach or support worker. For instance, some employers felt that the lack of assistance from DWP in identifying the right support person (such as specific criteria about their required skills, or a central register of certified job coaches) made recruitment of job coaches difficult.

I think there’s sometimes issues with getting the right support… for example, if we took somebody on now that needed full time support, then it’s providing that person to support them.

– Employer 1

Some employers found the practicalities of putting together the support difficult.

Yes you can get funding – but not the actual support. I mean, you can get recommendations from the report you get from the assessors of where to get your chair and where to get this and where to get that, but not actually physically support in general areas.

– Employer 1

Level of support

Satisfaction with the level of support provided was mixed. For those who suggested improvements, it was mainly related to consistency of the level of support across different beneficiaries, and managing expectations around future funding.

AtW+ is tailored to individual needs, therefore some employers reported that certain employees received more funding than their colleagues, even when the only difference they could observe was the time point at which they were assessed. This caused confusion and frustration among those employers.

Some employees described feeling initially optimistic during the enhanced holistic assessment, believing AtW+ would provide meaningful long-term support. However, they became dissatisfied once AtW+ ended, leaving them without continued support. This suggests that the support provided was not of appropriate length, or that expectations were not managed or communicated well from the outset.

…at the time of the initial assessment, I thought, This is really good, these, this is helping both me and the [organisation] move on and move forward for the better ..And then, like [Name] said, like, they sort of stopped it …. and I was left thinking, Oh, great, but you made all these promises, but now, because it’s finished, you’re claiming that it doesn’t involve you.

– Employee 14

Administration

As with the wider AtW scheme, some employers found the administrative process of receiving AtW+ support overly complex and time-consuming, leading to a substantial administrative burden. Issues reported included reliance on paper copies, poor communication, and time-consuming job tick sheets. As another example, it was described as difficult and confusing to complete forms, and the sign-off process was described as “onerous” and “tedious”, adding substantial administrative burden on employers. Employers shared that the administration involved was off-putting and might discourage them from applying for AtW+ in the future.

The main challenge for me is the administration. …It’s just the most onerous and tedious element of the process and could be incredibly off-putting… there are 3 different forms to fill out for the different types of payment. One form for the job shaping, a different form for the job coach support, a different form for training.

– Employer 5

Employer support

Employers’ understanding and willingness to engage with AtW+ also impacted on how employees experienced support under the AtW+ scheme.

On the one hand, some employers demonstrated an understanding of their employees’ disabilities and complex needs, offering the necessary support. This led to more positive experiences and contributed to employees feeling more supported and valued.

Yes, I can do my work well, but I have some support. I have some support with my team members as well. They help me… and also my manager as well.

– Employee 1

On the other hand, when employers were perceived as being unwilling to accommodate the employees’ disabilities, it created an uncomfortable work environment. As an extreme example, some appointees believed that employers intentionally made the workplace difficult, hoping the employee would resign. In some cases, a lack of early support may have been because AtW+ payments had not yet been processed, as discussed in Chapter 2.

Didn’t feel the [business] were prepared to make any concessions. You know what I think? I think they wanted rid of her, but they didn’t sack her in case we invoked disability rights. So they just waited for her. I think they made it uncomfortable for her so that she resigned.

– Employee Appointee 3

Employees were not always satisfied with how their employer handled the AtW+ award. Some employees reported that their employers did not provide the full level of support they had been allocated. As an example, an appointee reported that an employer did not provide one-to-one support even though it was allocated in their AtW+ funding.

His work has said that they can’t allocate him the support, the one to one that he needs, but I was under the impression that this 10 hours a week was his budget. So the person they’ve taken on shouldn’t be shared with anyone else. That’s his person.

– Employee Appointee 8

Some employees expressed a need for additional support from AtW+, but described that their employer was unwilling to go through the AtW+ application process. In some cases, there was some tension between how employers approached support, and how employees preferred it to be handled. For instance, one employer would not allow their employee to come to work if their job coach was ill even though the employee felt they were able to work independently on those days.

Question 3

3.  Impact of support

Accepted Answer

Employees and employers discussed the perceived impact of specific elements of AtW+ and of the scheme more broadly, on employees’ wellbeing, social skills and ability to work.

3.1 The impact of specific support elements

Impact of job aides

Employees and their appointees reported that job aides had a significant positive impact, helping them to stay on task and ensure their work was completed. In some cases, the support contributed to the employees’ development, leading them to work independently, without the need for a job aide to complete their task.

Impact of job coaches

Job coaches were also reported as having a positive impact on employees in several ways. Employees valued the reassurance that their job coach provided. They also appreciated the regular check-ins, including going through their routine, which helped them stay on track and successfully complete tasks. Some acknowledged that, without a job coach, they would struggle to resolve certain challenges, emphasising the necessity of this support.

It was very useful having somebody there who would say, ‘No we’re going to conference wing A first, then we’re going to the restaurant, which is B, and then we’ll come back to such and such’, and I think a lot of it was just reassurance.

– Employee Appointee 3

From an emotional perspective, employees highlighted how job coaches encouraged them to continue working, and provided someone they could rely on for advocacy and support. Their job coach would actively stand up for them, for instance, addressing workplace concerns such as the need for training to perform their roles effectively.

In terms of job performance, employees noted that their job coach helped them improve by teaching new skills and strengthening weaker areas. Beyond work, job coaches played an important role in boosting employees’ confidence and helping them understand their condition and its impact on their daily lives.

I can do things with them that I couldn’t do before. They didn’t think about teaching me before.

– Employee 4

Overall, employees expressed strong appreciation for their job coaches, describing them as “brilliant” and “amazing”. They felt the support received from AtW+ had been highly beneficial.

Really good. I mean, my coach is, she’s brilliant. She’s, been really, really good for me.

3.2 Overall impact of AtW+

In addition to discussion of the impact of specific support elements, both employees and employers reflected on the overall perceived impact of AtW+. Overall, both employees and employers felt the support received had been sufficient to meet their needs, observing clear visible progress in both job performance and wellbeing. Employees who received the support they had asked for were generally able to effectively carry out their work. The following sections describe the perceived impacts on employment opportunities, wellbeing, communication, social skills, and confidence.

Impact on employment opportunities

Employees and employers emphasised the importance of AtW+ in enabling some employees to work, especially those who would require ongoing support to maintain employment.

Some employers acknowledged that without AtW+, they would not have been able to employ certain employees. Some cited examples where they would not have been able to manage the employee appropriately, and where they would not have been able to afford necessary equipment or hire additional support staff.

Sadly, you just wouldn’t be able to employ people who need that extra support without the Access to Work system, [which is] why it’s so good. These guys would be furthest from the labour market because they would need too much support in a standard job.

– Employee Appointee 2

Both employees and employers discussed feeling more confident due to receiving AtW+ support. Employees described feeling excited about going to work, with employment becoming an important part of their lives. They also developed valuable work-related skills, such as office and computer skills, including drafting and sending emails.

It’s all worked out exactly as it should, because we had it for the 6 months, we extended it for 6 months and then she no longer needed it. She’s now working in the workplace independently.

– Employee Appointee 12

The confidence gained through the AtW+ support also had broader impact on employers. Some reported feeling empowered to create new job opportunities for people with disabilities ensuring continued employment. Employers who had gained confidence in working with their employees expressed strong appreciation for their contributions and were eager to retain them. These employers said it had grown their knowledge of various disabilities, which they said increased their confidence in hiring and support employees with disabilities. In some instances, this led to employees being offered permanent contracts, as employers felt confident in the employees’ abilities and reassured that they provide the necessary support in the workplace.

Initially, we offered him a 2-year contract, so we had the opportunity to review and evolve the programme. Now, that has become a permanent contract because we’re confident that we can make it work and support him appropriately.

– Employer 5

These employers felt AtW+ not only benefited individuals, but also broadened the range of roles available to people with disabilities, potentially opening up new opportunities for employment.

… we have built our knowledge and confidence through doing this as a pilot with [Name] we will be in a space where people are more confident just generally in this workplace of supporting individuals with more complex needs. I think there will be more confidence to make that happen…

– Employer 5

In addition, employers reported that AtW+ provided security for them to plan for the next one to 2 years with confidence. Knowing the funding was in place gave employers clarity on what to expect and how to structure support for employees.

Some employees, who had a support worker, went on to become support workers themselves.

Some of the guys that have been on the support, Access to Work [Plus], have gone on to come off, completely off Access to Work, they become support workers themselves.

– Employer 2

Even employees who felt capable of performing their roles without AtW+ support acknowledged that their efficiency would be reduced without AtW+ support. Employees highlighted the importance of receiving support from the very start of their employment, as delays in AtW+ support would limit the support they could provide.

I think I still would be with the [employer], and I think the [employer] would have done everything it can, it could, to support me and my fellow trainees. However, I think it would have come at the expense of incredible difficulty.

– Employee 14

Impact on future work

Where employees had experienced positive impacts of the support, they were eager to continue working and were considering future work opportunities. In some instances, employees put a lot of effort into applying for jobs, and employers believed this would not have been possible without the support received from AtW+.

[H]e worked really hard to get another job, and I’m not convinced that would have happened had the support not been in there. So I think with the support helped him with life skills… it gave him coping strategies to deal with, like when he felt stressed or anxious, which you would absolutely be able to apply outside the work as well.

– Employer 9

Impact on wellbeing

The support received from AtW+ had a positive impact on employees’ wellbeing in multiple ways. Having a job and being in a workplace fostered a sense of independence, and earning their own income allowed employees to make their own financial choices, which contributed to their sense of empowerment.

Working was also described as improving employees’ mental health and providing a sense of purpose. In some cases, employers observed a decrease in employees’ anxiety levels and an increase in being social, attributing this to the support received from AtW+. Without AtW+, some employers felt that their employees’ mental health would potentially suffer. As an example, one employer shared how their employee’s demeanor changed over time, with their confidence growing, as they became more engaged in their work and completed tasks more easily.

Within the workplace, he hardly said a word, head down… anxiety through the roof. Two years later, he’s now, could talk to you quite well… without that support, there’s no way in the world he’d have got to where he is now, and that comes from that right level of support and funding for [sic] DWP…

– Employer 3

The support provided through AtW+ was seen as instrumental in helping some employees significantly improve their communication and social skills. In these cases, it was felt that AtW+ helped employees become more tolerant of others, build meaningful relationships, and benefiting socially, which in turn was reported to have positive impacts on wellbeing, as described in the previous section.

Since receiving AtW+ support, employees were described as speaking more confidently, interacting with new people, and working more collaboratively with colleagues. Those in customer-facing roles were reported to interact well with the public. In some cases, employees also began attending work events and social gatherings, strengthening their connections with colleagues and the wider community. These employees expressed gratitude for AtW+, acknowledging that these opportunities would not have been possible without its support. As an example, one employer reflected on their employee:

He has created some really good relationships with his colleagues…He’s also learning how to collaborate and to listen to other people in, like, meeting situations, which I think has worked really well in terms of him developing his communication skills in a workplace.

– Employer 8

While employers recognised these positive impacts of the AtW+, some expressed disappointment that not all employees had access to the same level of support. In one case, an employer noted that an employee had not received support due to the timing of their enhanced holistic assessment, which took place on a day when the employee appeared to be coping well. The employer believed that the employee’s fluctuating behaviour, due to their complex personality traits, had led to an inaccurate assessment of their support needs. For additional findings on the enhanced holistic assessments see Chapter 5.

It’s a bit sad that one of them hasn’t had some support because, actually, I do recognise that he definitely does need something, but he’s kind of slipped through.

– Employer 6

Impact on confidence

Another positive perceived impact of receiving AtW+ was increased confidence among employees, which in turn helped them increase their independence. Employers reported that some employees had transitioned to independent living and others were now traveling to work independently. Employers credited the employees’ increased confidence to AtW+, stating that this progress was made possible due to those individuals receiving the right form of support.

3.3 Sufficiency of the support received

In addition to discussing the impact of the support, employers reflected on whether the support was sufficient, both in meeting the employees’ needs and in supporting the organisation as a whole.

Employers generally believed that the support received had been sufficient for their employees, as they observed clear visible progress in both wellbeing and job performance. Employees who received the support they had asked for were generally able to effectively carry out their work.

Employers emphasised the importance of the 3 elements of support, stating that if any were removed, AtW+ would not be as successful. Those employers credited the support as essential for enabling people with disabilities to secure and maintain employment, often describing the support as “worthwhile” and “fantastic”.

– Employer 5

While some employers found the support sufficient, others did not for a number of reasons. Some employers disagreed with the recommendations made by the independent DWP contracted assessment suppliers, while others were frustrated that the case manager had disregarded those recommendations and provided less support than expected. In those cases, employers believed their employee needed more support and were frustrated that the support that they had applied for had not been granted.

Question 4

4.  Application Process

Accepted Answer

This chapter explores case managers, employees and employers’ experiences of the application process. This includes insights on awareness and understanding of AtW+, perceptions about different aspects of the application process, such as the length of the process and support provided, as well as case managers’ views on reviewing applications, and the differences between the standard AtW scheme and AtW+. An explanation of the details of application process is provided in the Applying for AtW+ section.

4.1 Learning about AtW+

Employees and employers found out about the AtW+ scheme through a range of sources. This included through employers or colleagues, support groups or support schemes, through word of mouth such as at conferences, and from employees who wanted to apply for the scheme. At the point of applying, employers and employees described varying levels of familiarity with AtW+, depending largely on whether they had engaged with this scheme or similar ones in the past.

4.2 Experiences of the application process

Reviewing initial applications

Application forms were not always completed correctly, sometimes making it complicated for case managers to initially distinguish between applications for standard AtW or AtW+. In some instances, this was because an individual was eligible for AtW+ but was not requesting it.

Case managers noted they received a high volume of applications, many of which met the eligibility criteria due to the broadness of the criteria.

I’d say the eligibility is quite open in terms that quite a lot of people can apply for it.

– Case Manager 3

However, some applications were not eligible for the AtW+ scheme. In these instances, case managers reported moving applications to the standard AtW process.

Case managers’ views of the criteria

During the interviews, case managers shared their views of the criteria used to assess eligibility to receive AtW+. Overall, case managers described the current criteria as too broad, particularly around the EHCP. Case managers felt that the current criteria meant employees were eligible who would, in their opinion, manage well receiving standard AtW support. Case managers recommended that DWP creates a stricter criteria to accurately capture their target demographic: people with more severe/complex cases. The inclusion of employees with lower needs made some case managers suggest that AtW+ benefited employers and third-party representatives more than employees.  

The criteria that they used, I think is good, but it’s nowhere near where it needs to be. I think it’s too open to too many people, which could easily be supported with a standard Access to Work… it’s not something that I would say…should go forward unless it was for…the people with really extreme disabilities.

– Case Manager 7 

One view among case managers was that the broadness of the criteria meant AtW+ was not achieving its stated goals. This is discussed further in Chapter 8.1, Reflections on AtW+.

Contacting employees

After the initial application review, case managers contacted employees, their appointees or third-party representatives, and their employers.

If an applicant was clearly eligible for AtW+, the case manager contacted them to confirm the next steps. However, in most instances, the case manager needed to gather further information, such as the employee’s job description, medical condition, and their needs, to confirm eligibility.

[The application form] just built the basics or the bare bones. And then we would go, … ask the pertinent questions and gather the more in-depth information.

– Case Manager 1

Getting in touch with the relevant individuals was sometimes difficult, particularly when dealing with appointees. Some had their own full-time jobs or were older parents, unaware of the application process. Third-party representatives supporting employees could also be difficult to contact as they often managed multiple employees, or preferred to be with the employee during calls. This process was further complicated by the need to get permission from the employee or appointee before involving a third-party representative (it should be noted that this is a legal requirement, and part of the standard AtW approach).

So it doesn’t matter who submitted the application. We still have to go through the appointee or the customer.

– Case Manager 1

Once additional information had been gathered, the case manager would decide whether the case was appropriate for AtW+. Where it was, they would send the case for an enhanced holistic assessment see Chapter 5, Enhanced Holistic Assessments

Challenges

While not all applications faced challenges, all parties noted a number of challenges during the process. These included complex forms, lengthy timelines, communication issues between DWP and involved parties, and a lack of support from employers.

Complexity of the process

Employers and employees described the application process as complex and confusing. They described the form as difficult to complete and excessive in length. Employers described the administrative burden of completing the form and assessments:

…the forms that we’re having to complete for Access to Work Plus I think is astronomical…

– Employer 3

They also described a lack of clarity about the scheme, including determining which forms were applicable to their situation, and the support available to them.

Employees similarly described the process as confusing and unnecessarily complicated.

…[the] process of applying is very difficult, certainly for me, I found it difficult.

– Employee 5

The complexity of the process was described by both employees and employers as inappropriate given the support needs of those who were applying for the AtW+ scheme. It was felt to make it unnecessarily difficult for employees to independently apply for support or participate fully in the application process.

A person with some kind of mental health problem or a learning disability, they’re not going to be able to keep up with that. They’re going to give up or go away.

– Employer 4

Employers suggested DWP should provide more clarity on the steps and forms needed to complete each stage of the application, as this would benefit all parties. This could be relevant for standard AtW, as well as AtW+.

Length of the process

Due to the delays in the wider AtW scheme, the length of the AtW+ application process was described as a considerable challenge for both employers and employees. Upon submitting their application, they described waiting months for an outcome. In some instances, employers and employees reported having minimal contact with DWP and not receiving updates about their application status in the meantime. This delay meant that employees were unable to begin working, or where they did start, employers described supporting their employee using their own funds.

The application goes into a filing cabinet, that’s what it feels like. And then one at a time gets taken out…. Nothing’s done by need or urgency.

– Employer 1

The challenges caused by the length of the process, and the delay in receiving support is discussed in more detail in Chapter 6, Funding award. These delays may have been a result of waiting times in the standard AtW process.

Communication with case managers

Both employees and employers acknowledged that some DWP case managers were very supportive and helpful, and there were accounts of communication working well with case managers:

The best of them are really good at explaining.

– Employer 10

However, there were also a number of challenges reported in communicating with case managers more generally as part of AtW+.

Due to the delays within the standard AtW scheme, getting in touch with DWP about AtW+ was described as a very difficult process. Employers and employees described spending long periods of time on the phone trying to get through to someone, only to find that the person they spoke to lacked knowledge about AtW+. Others described sending emails and hearing nothing in return.

Every contact would be …at least a three quarter of an hour wait on the phone… every target given to me about getting back to me was missed…Yeah, the whole thing was very, very poor.

– Employee 16

Employers and employees reported that case managers did not always consider requests regarding preferred contact details or communication methods when contacting them to request additional information about their application. This was particularly problematic for employees whose support needs prevented them from using certain communication methods (i.e. phone calls). In some instances, where employees answered calls from DWP, the line would be cut off. Instances were reported where case managers would close the case if they had made multiple unsuccessful contact attempts even if these were made using methods the applicants had requested were not used.

It’s clearly been said that this person finds it very difficult to deal with a phone, so please email. They don’t get an email…they’ll try 3 times to call through, and if there’s no answer, they’ll close it.

– Employer 4

Case managers also described issues when trying to contact applicants, despite reaching out to them through a range of modes, including text messages and emails. As with standard AtW, case managers noted there were significant delays to the process if an appointee was involved, as they may have had other commitments that made them hard to get hold of.

Employers and employees also felt that case managers had different levels of knowledge and understanding, both of the AtW+ process and the specific support needs of the employees. These variations in understanding and applications of the AtW+ approach caused confusion for employers, who sometimes received advice they believed to be incorrect.

It was also felt that case managers sometimes lacked an understanding of employees’ needs, which both reduced the accessibility of the scheme and led to proposed solutions that were inappropriate for the employee.

The case handler, very dismissive… he was… going to work on a farm… according to him [case manager] dyslexia only means problems with reading and writing, which you don’t need to do on a farm, which is just ludicrous.

– Employer 4

It was suggested that the accessibility of the process could be improved by making sure case managers were well informed about the diverse support needs of employees, and taking these were taken into account during the process, and offering options such as case managers fluent in sign language.

Question 5

5.  Enhanced Holistic Assessments

Accepted Answer

This chapter explores the experiences of the enhanced holistic assessment, including the process of arranging and attending the assessments, what happens during an assessment, the clarity of assessment reports, and any potential improvements to the enhanced holistic assessment process.

5.1 Experiences of Enhanced Holistic Assessments

Arranging the assessments

Once they received a referral, the DWP contracted assessment supplier arranged the assessment. Case managers and employers reported some delays at this stage of the process. This was felt to be due to the difficulty of arranging a session with all parties present.

However, it was acknowledged that on the whole, assessments were conducted within a reasonable timeframe.

Case managers reported instances where applications were withdrawn by employers at this stage in the process. It was unclear why employers withdrew at this stage.

Experience of the assessment

The assessments are carried out by DWP contracted assessment suppliers, who are qualified professionals in their field. Interviewees described that on the day of the assessment, the DWP contracted assessment supplier met with all parties at the workplace, guided them through a series of questions, and in some instances, toured the workplace itself. Experiences of the assessment itself varied.

Enhanced holistic assessment: what went well

The presence of employers at the assessment was viewed positively, as it allowed them to support the employee and ensured the employer adjustments were clearly documented in the report.

Positive experiences were also often based on the knowledge and abilities of the DWP contracted assessment supplier. For instance, employers, employees and their appointees reported positive experiences when their DWP contracted assessment suppliers were well-informed, thorough, or had established a good relationship with their organisation. DWP contracted assessment suppliers who had specialist knowledge of an employee’s conditions were viewed particularly positively. In a number of instances, the DWP contracted assessment suppliers were reported as outlining to employers and employees support options or approaches they had not previously considered.

…this time I had an assessor that was actually a neurodiversity, I guess some kind of specialist, and she was awesome … it’s hard for me to explain to people how I struggle because I don’t necessarily know until I’m in the position and I’m doing it.

– Employee 15  

The assessments could also provide employees with reassurance about the AtW+ scheme:

When someone actually came to see [the employee], he was like, all right, actually … this is good. So that face-to-face was really vital in getting [name] on board.

– Employer 9

Enhanced holistic assessment: what could have gone better

There were some instances where employees or employers reported their DWP contracted assessment suppliers did not have the knowledge or experience necessary to carry out the assessment well. For instance, when a DWP contracted assessment supplier was not a specialist in the needs of an employee and didn’t know much about their condition.

Assessor was not a specialist and did not appear to know much about visually impaired individuals.

– Employee 11

Additionally, there were concerns about whether assessments were appropriate for the needs of all employees. For instance, in some cases, assessing an employee with a fluctuating condition on one day was not felt to be an accurate way to understand how their condition affected their work, particularly if the employee was having a ‘good day’.

I didn’t feel the questions were at all sympathetic to the situation. They weren’t geared up for the conditions that we were talking about, the person that we were talking about, they were not suitable at all.

– Employer 6

Employers also raised that the enhanced holistic assessment requires employees to share their needs and discuss their disability in-depth with the DWP contracted assessment supplier, which could have a detrimental impact on their wellbeing, particularly if the assessment was not handled in a sensitive manner.

Dealing with the emotional impact of having to recite your requirements or, elements of your medical history, especially if you’ve acquired a disability recently, the insurance around that colleague’s mental wellbeing isn’t provided by [the scheme].

– Employer 10

It should be noted that there were instances in both phase 1 and phase 2 of AtW+ where employees reported not having a face-to-face assessment. In these instances, employees either reported having an online or telephone assessment, or stated they had no assessment at all. The reasons for these discrepancies are unclear. Given the length of time between the assessment and the qualitative interviews, it is possible that some employees simply did not remember the assessment^{[footnote 2]}. Alternatively, they may not have recognised a meeting with DWP contracted assessment suppliers as a formal enhanced holistic assessment. However, it is also possible that some assessments were not carried out.

5.2 Enhanced holistic assessment reports

After each assessment had been carried out, case managers received a report from the DWP contracted assessment supplier, which they used to inform their decision and make an offer of support. Case managers discussed a number of issues when receiving the enhanced holistic assessment reports, particularly at the start of delivering AtW+. These included concerns with the level of detail, the appropriateness of the support suggested, and the quality of the reports.

Level of detail

A key issue was reports that lacked sufficient detail or clarity about the type of support that was required. For instance, some reports failed to provide the exact number of support hours needed, while others suggested support without providing clear justification.

A few times I’ve had to send back the reports because the assessors, they’re not putting down the exact number of hours… In order for us to put the support in place, we would need to know the exact number of hours of support. We would need them to say whether it’s the supervision, the job coaching or the replacement.

– Case Manager 5

In these instances, the report was returned to the DWP contracted assessment supplier to request further information to allow the case manager to make an informed award decision.

Appropriateness of support

Additionally, there were concerns around the type of support that was being suggested. Case managers reported instances where their opinion of an assessment was that the type of support suggested was inappropriate for the specific needs or health condition of the employee.

There was also concern among case managers that DWP contracted assessment suppliers may be overly influenced by the employer’s or third-party representative’s views on what support should be covered by the award, and that this led to reports recommending what case managers deemed to be unnecessary additional support.

…if the assessors a bit on the easy to be pushed, the list became longer. We have some forceful third parties that have their own agendas and were pushing for it.

– Case Manager 2

Some employers also suggested the enhanced holistic assessment did not accurately reflect the work employees were doing on a daily basis, as these were carried out at the start of employment, and therefore before some issues had surfaced. For instance, in some cases the employees have jobs with different roles (i.e. outdoor worker) whose tasks may be dependent on the season or the number of visitors etc., which will not have been reflected in the initial assessment.

The downside of the initial assessments versus then the practicalities of working is that oftentimes the assessments don’t end up reflecting what the work is that that person ends up doing.

– Employee 14

Quality of reports

The case managers also raised concerns about the quality of the reports they were receiving. They reported instances where text had been copied from previous reports rather than tailored to the individual reports had conflicting information in different sections, and reports where sections were missing.

Where the report had to be sent back to the DWP contracted assessment supplier, this caused additional delays in the application timeline.

Improvements over time

It should be noted that a number of the issues related to enhanced holistic assessment reports improved during the course of the AtW+ scheme. Case managers credit the improvement of the reports to the DWP contracted assessment supplier gaining more experience and, through case managers sending the reports back, the supplier developed a better understanding of the level of detail needed for the case managers to make a decision.

Question 6

6.  Funding award

Accepted Answer

This chapter explores how case managers approach the process of reviewing the findings of the enhanced holistic assessment report and determining the appropriate support to offer. The chapter then explores the perspective of applicants when receiving their award offer, including the level of satisfaction with the award offered, the reconsiderations process, and challenges experiences with the funding award.

6.1 Decision-making of case managers

Case manager experiences of the decision-making process

This section describes how case managers approached their decision-making process when making the support offer, including using enhanced holistic assessment reports and DWP contracted assessment supplier recommendations to inform decision-making, requesting additional information from the DWP contracted assessment suppliers, using the AtW+ guidance, and the process after making the grant funding offer.

Using recommendations of DWP contracted assessment suppliers

Case managers highlighted that the enhanced holistic assessments informed their decision-making process. This was because the DWP contracted assessment suppliers were suitably qualified professionals who had direct, face-to-face interactions with employees and first-hand knowledge of their support needs. Though there were some instances where case managers had concerns about the support recommended see Chapter 5, Enhanced Holistic Assessments. overall case managers therefore reported rarely questioning the support that the DWP contracted assessment suppliers recommended, believing them to be accurate and appropriate.

… you probably don’t have the time to go through each and every single item … So whatever is coming back on the reports, there’s a 90 per cent chance that you’re going to award it.

– Case Manager 3

However, there were situations where case managers did not follow the recommendations provided by the DWP contracted assessment supplier. In these instances, case managers shared that they felt that the support recommended did not fit with the guidance, or the amount of funding was too high, leading them to not approve the recommendation based on applying the guidance. One example was a case manager reporting rejecting mobility scooters as they were not included within health and safety in the guidance. Another example was a case manager believing the funding for a support worker was too high, and getting a third party to fill out the record of tasks and checking with the employer to see if they agreed with the level of support required.

Requesting additional information from DWP contracted assessment suppliers

The clarity and detail of the enhanced holistic assessment reports played a crucial role in helping case managers make decisions. In particular, some case managers described that where there were clearly justified recommendations from assessors, these provided a solid basis for approving funding and justifying why they awarded that funding.

However, as discussed in Chapter 5, Enhanced Holistic Assessments, case managers reported that assessments did not always provide all the necessary information and sometimes needed more clarity. Some described the enhanced holistic assessment reports as unclear, referring to them as “waffle” and “wishy washy”. Consequently, reports were sent back to DWP contracted assessment suppliers for further clarification, which slowed the decision-making process.

Gathering other additional information

Case managers also highlighted other steps taken to help them make informed decisions, including using a support worker record of task, understanding why the employee required support exceeding that of standard AtW support, gathering information about alternative arrangements, and speaking to a helpful appointee.

The appointee was really, really, good to speak to. I’ve got a good understanding from the appointee with regarding his son as well and what he would struggle with.

– Case Manager 8

Using the AtW+ guidance document

Case managers also reported using the AtW+ guidance document to guide their process of reviewing applications, and to help explain their reasons for their decision to award funding. In some cases, the guidance was used to minimise/reduce the recommended support (i.e. providing 20 hours or support instead of 30 hours). The guidance also gave case managers detailed information about different strands of AtW+.

… it was new to us as well, this employer element. We did sometimes have to look … at the guidance. Is that right? Yes, we can do that.

– Case Manager 2

Checking the guidance was often the first step for case managers if they required assistance when making a decision. Occasionally, case managers used the standard AtW guidance if the information they needed was not included in the AtW+ guidance.

You just refer back to the guidance. If there was no guidance in the Access to Work Plus guidance around that, I would fall back onto the standard Access to Work guidance to see…if it fits within that. So there was always the guidance there to back up.

– Case Manager 7

After making a decision

Once a decision was made, case managers recorded the award information in the DiSC system^{[footnote 3]} and sent a decision letter to inform the employee of their award. This typically marked the end of the case manager’s involvement in the application:

Once we’ve made the decision, we would complete our system. The DiSC system put it all in place, do letters, let the customer and employee know what we’ve agreed to. And the next steps are to claim it back.

– Case Manager 2

As with standard AtW, case managers reported that they did not proactively follow up on applications. They only revisited cases if the employee requested a renewal. At that point, case managers checked whether the existing funding had been used. If it had, they reported being more likely to approve a renewal.

We never really check on if they actually action any of them… it’s not until they want a renewal of that support that we really look at [it].

– Case Manager 2

Case manager views on the support offers

Support provided by AtW+ compared to AtW

As discussed in Chapter 4.2, case managers felt that the criteria for AtW+ plus were too broad. This led to concerns that the support provided through AtW+ could have been provided via standard AtW. One example was a case manager who felt AtW+ had granted awards for what they perceived to be reasonable adjustments.

Before Access to Work Plus, we used to tell the employer, ‘That’s a reasonable adjustment for you to do.’ Now, with Access to Work Plus, we’re paying them to do it.

– Case Manager 2

It should be noted that the guidance on standard reasonable adjustments did not change as part of the AtW+ scheme.

Unable to grant support

Conversely, case managers also expressed frustration when they were unable to approve support for individuals who they felt genuinely needed it through AtW+. 

6.2 Receiving the award

Satisfaction with awards

Employees and employers who expressed satisfaction with the support received from AtW+ highlighted various reasons for their positive experiences.

Some employees were surprised by the amount of funding they received as it exceeded their expectations. Others felt satisfied because they felt their needs had been genuinely listened to.

For employers, satisfaction often stemmed from working with knowledgeable DWP contracted assessment suppliers and case managers. They shared experiences of case managers and DWP contracted assessment suppliers actively listening, being open to being informed by the employer regarding the employee’s condition and needs, and tailored support accordingly.

The advisers were more clued up. They followed the process… They took on board what the assessor had said what we said, and they made a decision, and 9 times out of 10, they’d agreed.

– Employer 4

Overall, many employees and employers that we interviewed felt that the outcome of AtW+ was what they had hoped for.

Yeah, I think satisfied, definitely. You know, [name]’s been doing a great job and his contract has been extended. Really happy with how it’s been working, so yeah, very happy.

– Employer 8

Other employees and employers expressed dissatisfaction due to various challenges and perceived shortcomings of the scheme. While employees and employers tended to be satisfied overall with the outcomes of the AtW+ awards, we have described any dissatisfaction in detail below to ensure that potential improvements in future delivery is considered.

One concern among employers was the lack of clarity from case managers about funding deadlines. Employers who were unaware of the 9-month deadline (which is used in standard AtW) to claim funding reported frustration that they had spent a year financially supporting employees at their own cost, only to later be told they were no longer eligible for funding.

We did that [application in] October 2023. It was November 2024 when we eventually got something back and they said, If you haven’t claimed this yet, you might not actually get it because you’ve only got 9 months to accept the award… They knew that we would miss the boat and didn’t tell us.

– Employer 7

Some employers felt they had received the wrong type of support. For instance, an employer described being awarded a job aide, and felt this was inappropriate in this particular case with an employee with a learning disability. They felt a job aide might take over the employees’ tasks which was not necessary for this employee^{[footnote 4]}. They felt their employee was capable of doing the job, but just needed ongoing support to do so.

Being awarded a type of support employers or employees felt was inappropriate was particularly a problem when they felt case managers did not seek clarification on employees’ specific needs. This could lead to incorrect quotations, for instance, for the tailoring of the necessary award. These errors allegedly caused delays in the procurement process and incorrect grant calculations.

[O]nce that assessment… had been done, instead of coming back to me or asking for a further assessment, DWP just went ahead and asked for quotations for just the base version of the wheelchair with no options, which wasn’t at all suitable for me.

– Employee 16

In other cases, the grants awarded were perceived as insufficient, failing to provide the necessary support. Those employees reported struggling to perform their jobs due to the lack of adequate funding. Employers speculated that case managers not awarding the necessary support could be due to the questions asked during the enhanced holistic assessment, feeling they were not appropriate for their employees’ complex mental health conditions and needs.

I think that one of our trainees has some quite complex mental health needs … the questions that were asked, didn’t really account. He’s extremely bright, but didn’t really account for his needs.

– Employer 6

Additionally, there was a concern among employees that the funding awarded meant job coaches were not being paid enough, making it harder to find someone for the role. This is discussed in more detail below.

One potential Job Coach I spoke to … said, Oh it’s not very much money 12 or 13 pounds an hour. Then she said, Will I get my travel expenses? And I said, No, you won’t. And she said, Well it’s just not worth it.

 – Employee Appointee 3

In contrast, some employers felt the funding was too high. For instance, explaining they received a large amount of money for travel support, part of standard AtW, which was unnecessary as they would not spend that amount on travel during the timeframe the funding was awarded for. They also had concerns that the funding allocated for support workers was too high. In these instances, employers described struggling with support workers earning more than anyone else in the organisation per hour. 

Justification received for awards

Both employees and employers described some frustrations with case managers’ justification for their decisions, or in some cases, the lack thereof.

Some employees felt that case managers downplayed their conditions by making generalised assessments, for instance by comparing or grouping them with people who had similar conditions, instead of tailoring support to their specific circumstances.

[the case manager] said to me that I couldn’t possibly need that equipment because she knows a wheelchair user who carries a laptop in a rucksack on the back of a chair with absolutely no problems, I said, ‘Well, number one is that an electric wheelchair? If it’s an electric wheelchair, perhaps you can get away with that because you’re not gonna tip backwards, fall out of your wheelchair, but for me, that doesn’t apply.

– Employee 15

Employers described feeling frustrated when case managers provided justifications for the wrong type of support. As an example, one employer described how case managers explained their decision to not provide funding for a job aide, even when the request had been for a support worker. It should be noted that, in this case, the support the employer was asking for was likely for an enabling job aide, which was why the case manager referred to a job aide. This issue may be more related to miscommunication about the terms and what the different roles entail.

They get a lot of things mixed up between a job aide and a support worker. We don’t ask for a job aide. They need a support worker to help them all day, understand their job, not do it for them. They were saying, ‘Well, they don’t need a job aide. We’re like, ‘Well, of course, we ask for a support worker.’

– Employer 2

Another example was a case when the applicant had unsuccessfully asked for a support worker, but had instead received funding for a taxi to and from work, which was inappropriate as they were not able to get into a taxi with strangers and currently relied on their parents driving them to work.

Eventually the assessment came back and they said, Well, she’s only having difficulty getting into work. We can’t give you a support worker because the needs aren’t strong enough, but we will give you a taxi.

– Employee Appointee 2

Some employees and employers reported receiving no explanation when recommendations from the enhanced holistic assessment reports were not funded.

…my Access to Work case worker got the report and then cut a load of stuff out of it with no explanation and no reasoning.

– Employee 15

However, there were not universally unpleasant experiences of explanations of support. In some instances, employers described having detailed conversations with case managers about the decision, which made them understand the rationale for the decision.

6.3 Reconsiderations

Experiences of the reconsideration process

In some cases, interviewed employees and employers had disputed decisions and asked for a reconsideration of their AtW+ awards. This was due to issues such as not feeling they were offered enough or appropriate support. However, experiences with this process varied. Some of the challenges are described below, including case managers being unwilling to assist, mistakenly processing reconsiderations through the standard AtW process, failing to seek clarification on individual support needs, getting assigned the same case manager, and a lack of communication with third-party representatives.

Employers expressed that different case managers handled reconsiderations differently. Some employers were assigned case managers they perceived as helpful because the case managers processed their request as a change of circumstances, allowing for a reassessment.

Others were assigned case managers who were unwilling to assist, claiming that once the award had been issued, the case was closed and could only be challenged through the formal complaints process. This meant they had to reapply, leading to further delays.

And the guy… said, ‘I can’t deal with you now because you’re no longer part of … my case load because we have awarded you the award, the taxi, and therefore the case is closed, and the only thing you can do is a complaint procedure.’

– Employee Appointee 2

Another challenge reported by interview participants was that some reconsiderations were mistakenly processed as a standard AtW application instead of a AtW+ application. This resulted in employers not receiving funding for job shaping, which is not part of the standard AtW offer.

In some instances, employees and employers were assigned the same case manager for their reconsideration, which they felt was inappropriate. They expressed not agreeing with the outcome only to be told to try the support provided and come back later if they were still struggling.

I made a complaint about the case worker, and the senior manager decided to keep the same case worker… I know enough about things to know that that wasn’t appropriate. I tried to say, I don’t agree with this, but they said, ‘Well, just see how you get on, and then if it happens again, you know, then come back to us.’

– Employee 15

Another theme was a lack of communication with third-party representatives who supported employees in the reconsideration process. Third-party representatives reported struggling to apply for reconsideration in the allotted time because they were not informed of the decision. This caused delays, as representatives would have to rely on the employee to tell them within the allotted 4-week timeframe and sometimes received the information too late to submit a reconsideration.

Experiences of the reconsideration process largely depended on whether their request for reconsideration was successful or not. In cases where case managers upheld the decision and did not change the awarded funding, this caused frustration among employers and employees. As an example, one employer was frustrated that a request for 30 hours of support was outright not approved, rather than offering a lower number of support hours.

In another example, an employer had submitted 3 identical reconsiderations related to 3 staff members, but were frustrated that only 2 were successful, with no explanation for why the third one was not. This led to the third individual feeling singled out and excluded, due to the lack of consistency

… they came up and did 3 interviews for 3 individuals at the same site on the same day. They all went to this handler who for some reason, the cheapest support worker you can get in this area is 35, 50 an hour, right? He awarded them grants, but just for 20 pounds an hour, all 3 had to move forward to reconsideration. Two of them, they adjusted to 30 pounds an hour. One they didn’t adjust. No explanation why this person was singled out.

– Employer 4

The length of time taken to process the reconsiderations was a common complaint raised by employers. In some cases, it could take 8 months for DWP to get back to them with an answer.

When employers felt the reconsideration process had been successful, it was often because it resulted in more sufficient support for them and their employees. Employers discussed how case managers were willing to change their awards once they were provided with more evidence.

They were very good at coming back and correcting it.

– Employer 6

6.4 Challenges

Employees and employers discussed facing a number of challenges with their funding awards, including the timeline for receiving support, hiring a support worker or job coach, claiming back financial expenses, amending awards to meet employees’ fluctuating needs, and the complaints process at DWP.

Timeline for receiving support

Employees and employers found the length of the process a challenge. It should be noted this is a challenge experienced on the standard AtW scheme and isn’t unique to AtW+.

There were reports of it taking 7 months to a year from the start of the application to a decision being received. In one case, an employee left the organisation due to the delays in providing support, and employers noted that mainstream employers would not hold roles open for employees while a decision is made.

[I]f they could go mainstream employment, no mainstream is going to hold a job open for 6 months while an agency works out whether or not they can get a grant. That’s asking too much.

– Employer 4

Delays to the timeline were a particular issue where an individual was already in work at the time of submitting the application. Employers did not feel these cases were prioritised in the same way as applications for support in starting a new role, or those related to relatively short-term contracts. For employees, this could also be a very frustrating experience. 

Just frustrating. I mean the process of sort of getting the application was difficult. Then it’s just frustrating waiting.

– Employee 5 

One approach described by employers was to provide support in advance of receiving the grant. This is also the case on the standard AtW scheme. This meant they were taking on the risk of covering support without a guarantee that the costs would eventually be covered by an AtW+ award. In some instances, this approach was taken because the employer was concerned for their employee’s wellbeing if they were told they cannot be employed until they received funding. An employer shared that their employee was “just piling up a tab” for the support.

Well, this person needs the support in their position. So the only way they’re going to get that support is if it’s done, not charged for until the application comes through, which is quite risky for an organisation to do that.

– Employer 1

However, not all employers or support workers were able to provide support without a guarantee of funding, so in some instances employees could not start their role, or had to perform the role without the support they needed.

Because we don’t know what level of funding we’ll get, or how long it will take for them to be processed, it’s almost impossible to take someone on.

– Employer 7

Lack of clarity about the amount of funding they would receive created challenges for some employers as they were unable to estimate their budget and plan their business accordingly. Some employers were unable to employ additional workers as they were not confident that they would receive the funding to support that employee in a timely manner.

We thought, maybe we’ll get it by April and we can put it into our budget for the coming year. Obviously, as I’ve just said, we’ve only started getting our awards around November. We had to just make up our budget and you can’t plan a business that way. We just had to guess at what level of funding we might receive and the awards.

– Employer 7

Challenges hiring a support worker, job aide or job coach

Employees, appointees, third-party representatives and employers found it difficult to find a support worker, job aide or job coach. This is not specific to AtW+ and is an issue experienced by those being supported in standard AtW.

Some employees and employers described being unaware of how to recruit a support worker/job coach, often relying on recommendations from friends or neighbours. As finding someone was a lengthy process, employees’ family members would often support the employee for free and not claim any funding until they found a person for the role. Employers discussed instances where they needed to change their approach to recruitment because they could not find a job coach and struggled to understand the difference between a support worker and job coach, which made it difficult to recruit the right person for the job.

[I]n the beginning, I went into the workplace and I was [Name]’s support worker. And I didn’t claim any money for it until I found 2 different people who could do the job.

– Employee Appointee 12

As discussed above, a big factor contributing to the difficulty of finding someone was the rate of pay they were offering. In some instances, DWP did not inform employees of what the salary would be until they recruited someone for the role. Some of the people recruited left the position after being told they would receive low pay. Additionally, some job coaches had to wait weeks or months to receive their first payment from AtW+.

If he could be paid more, he might be encouraged to stay longer. But you know, he’s not going to work 12 quid an hour forever.

– Employee Appointee 3

Claiming back financial support

As with standard AtW, some types of support provided by AtW+ had to be paid for upfront by employees, who then claimed the money back from DWP. Employees found the process of claiming back support long and overly complicated.

Claim process is quite laborious and some unnecessary admin…DWP don’t make it easy.

– Employee 11

However, not all experiences with claiming support were unpleasant. In one instance an employee shared that, when they missed a deadline but provided a valid reason to DWP, they were still able to claim for the support.

Amending awards

Employers highlighted that some employees’ conditions fluctuate or progress over time. Although these employees may require less support in the future, they will always require some form of support. Employers felt AtW+ was not flexible enough for this group’s changing needs and suggested DWP should have greater flexibility to accommodate the impact of the employees’ fluctuating conditions.

[I]t’s not really that the award is wrong in the moment, but it’s fluctuating conditions and working with 3 different individuals whose condition has deteriorated. Their needs have changed, exactly over the course of any one award, is difficult because, you know, resubmission in the middle of your award period, there isn’t the opportunity for it.

– Employer 10

Complaint process

Employers also raised concerns about the current AtW complaint process. They described raising a complaint with case managers, but this not being treated as an official complaint because they had not gone through the official process^{[footnote 5]}. This meant they had to make the complaint again months later, delaying the funding an employee received. The official complaint process was not practical for them to complete due to other burdens on their time. Given this, they suggested that a verbal, written or email complaint should be treated as an official complaint.

Then, with the complaint, they said, if you want to make a complaint, you have to do it through our official channel. I said, look, I’m sorry, no, you don’t any more, a verbal complaint, a written complaint and an email complaint in any other organisation is treated as a complaint because the way people complain is their choice. That’s it. They’ve just said, No, we’re the DWP. That’s our process, if you don’t follow it, you don’t follow it, which is ridiculous.

– Employer 7

Question 7

7.  Comparing AtW+ and standard AtW

Accepted Answer

This chapter explores perspectives on the differences between standard AtW and AtW+ among case managers, employers and employees who took part in AtW+.

7.1 Comparison between AtW+ and standard AtW

Information gathering and assessment

In standard AtW, case managers gather the information, and make a decision based on the information provided. Where the applicant does not know the support available to them, case managers can request a remote or in-person assessment by an assessor, who evaluates the individual’s work-related needs. In AtW+, there is always a face-to-face assessment by a DWP contracted assessment supplier, which is more intensive and personalised, and is called an Enhanced Holistic Assessment. Case managers reflected that this meant they had tended to do less information-gathering work in AtW+ compared to the standard AtW process.

… Access to Work Plus, everything has to do Enhanced Workplace Assessment, which takes a lot of that sort of data gather information. Because in the standard Access to Work, you’re doing a bit more of an assessor role.

– Case Manager 7

AtW+’s use of external suppliers to conduct an enhanced face to face Holistic Assessment was favoured by employers, stating the DWP contracted assessment suppliers from external companies understood the employees’ conditions and made recommendations accordingly. Employers were happier with this process and the subsequent support received from AtW+.

And when you were using the outside companies … It was amazing because their guys understood conditions, understood how to talk to people…and recommended based on what you could see these people needed.

– Employer 4

Communication

Some case managers said they felt they had less communication and engagement with the AtW+ employees compared to standard AtW. This may be because case managers were involved in less information gathering in AtW+, as described in the previous section. This reason was not always directly stated by case managers in interviews, though some did, arguing they had more in-depth conversations involving information gathering in standard AtW. In some cases, the case managers on AtW+ did not speak to the employees throughout the entire application process, until the award had been put in place and case managers sent an email to confirm what the employee had been awarded.

So, the engagement with the customer wasn’t too much…because once the award was getting put in place, the customers were already aware of what they were getting and a simple email to confirm what they will be getting was sufficient.

– Case Manager 3

Some employees who received funding from both standard AtW and AtW+ reported preferring standard AtW on this basis. Although these employees were happy with the funding they ultimately received for AtW+, they believed that the process they had to go through to be awarded that funding was worse compared to the standard process. This was particularly due to challenges in communicating with DWP as well as the slow turnaround at every stage of the application process, compared to standard AtW.

So I think it, the process is that is definitely worse now than it used to be, which is annoying.

– Employee 16

Applications

Case managers initially expected to process more applications in AtW+ related to severe or complex disabilities compared to standard AtW. However, they felt complex cases were only a small percentage of the applications received. The eligibility criteria for AtW+ is discussed in more detail in Chapter 4.2, including focusing on whether the scheme was reaching its target cohort. As the cases coming through were mostly the same as standard AtW cases, some case managers did not understand why AtW+ was a separate scheme. Although the percentage of complex cases was lower, they were very straightforward cases for case managers to make a decision on.

On the Access to Work Plus you can get the same exact people [as standard AtW]. When we first started the Access to Work Plus, I really thought it would be catered for people who are severely vulnerable with disabilities that make them so vulnerable that they always need that extra support.

– Case Manager 5

Third-party representative led applications

Among interview participants, there was a view that while third-party representatives are also involved in standard AtW, they had been more involved in AtW+ and communicated more with case managers.

Employers and employees noted that their involvement was important and particularly helpful due to the complexities of the AtW+ process, which was described as difficult for some employees to navigate due to their support needs. The experience of third party representatives allowed them, for instance, to spot inconsistencies in the support being offered.

However, case managers generally expressed unfavourable views of the increased role of third-party representatives in AtW+ compared to standard AtW. Case managers described them as pushing for more support and funding, for instance pushing for a higher band for support worker salary.

Confidence

Since moving to AtW+, some case managers felt they had increased confidence when working with people with disabilities and following the AtW+ process. These case managers were now able to identify extremely vulnerable employees and employees with less extreme needs. Case managers generally felt their confidence levels were sufficient to successfully complete their role.

I’d say my confidence obviously has increased but I think I’m able to differentiate between what a vulnerable customer is and, I suppose, to someone who does have needs, but not to an extreme level.

– Case Manager 3

Price banding

Having price banding in AtW+ was another difference between the 2 schemes at the time of some of the case manager interviews. This has subsequently been implemented in the standard AtW+ scheme. Among case managers, this was described as a strong improvement, particularly as it was non-negotiable.

I think that the standard Access to Work could take some of the, like, the price banding. I think that was a great idea. That should be, there already is an option to do that in the Access to Work which I think came from the Access to Work Plus.

– Case Manager 7

Question 8

8.  Reflections and improvements

Accepted Answer

This chapter explores the participants’ broader views on the success of AtW+ and the impact the support has had on them. The second half of the chapter explores the suggestions made by participants to improve the AtW+ process, outcomes, and service.

8.1 Reflections on AtW+

Employee and employer reflections on AtW+

Increased independence

Employees often said one of the most important aspects of their AtW+ awards was how it helped them to work more effectively and gave them greater independence. The advocacy provided by job coaches was especially important to some employees to help them navigate workplaces.

Reassurance through availability of funding

For employers, the fact that the funding was available was sometimes described as the most important element. It reassured employers knowing that financial support was in place, which employees could receive when needed.

I think the awards themselves, have been very important and …being able to know that I’ve got, the sort of the finance there to carry on with the coaching. … that’s been the most important part for me.

– Employee 5

Similarly, employees highlighted the importance of DWP funding in financing appropriate support. However, some employees also suggested that DWP needed to provide more funding if they wanted to ensure the long-term success of AtW+.

They need better funding, without the funding unfortunately, because the world revolves around money, without the funding, without the necessary amount or appropriate amount of funding, they can’t really do what they’ve set out or promised to do.

– Employee 14

Overall positive experiences

Employers generally reported positive experiences with AtW+ and believed the scheme had significant potential in helping disabled people gain and stay in employment.

Long may it continue like and it’s a great thing, and it’s helping people. It’s not just helping people get into it, helping people stay into work, and it’s changing people’s lives like so it’s, yeah, I’m all for it.

– Employer 9

Generally, employers were highly positive about AtW+, with some saying they would “absolutely” recommend it to others. Their eagerness to recommend the scheme stemmed from their experiences of its positive impact on both employees and their own organisation. For some, AtW+ was now the first thing they considered when they found out a member of staff had complex health needs.

[I]t’s really broadened my eyes into what’s possible, same for the team here. From what I can tell, it’s proving really successful for [Name] as well…Feels like a win-win.

– Employer 5

Some employers had very positive experiences, stating they were completely satisfied with the support received, they had no complaints, and pointed to the impact it had had on their organisation.

Increased confidence in hiring

As an example, some employers reported that AtW+ had given them confidence when interviewing and considering hiring people with complex needs. Employers felt the AtW+ support gave them the support financially and logistically to hire people.

…[W]e have built our knowledge and confidence through doing this … people are more confident just generally in this workplace of supporting individuals with more complex needs…

– Employer 5

Wider societal benefits

As another example, employers suggested AtW+ would have broader societal benefits, such as reducing the demand on NHS mental health services and reducing reliance on benefits such as PIP. As such, these employers suggested that by supporting individuals to stay in work, AtW+ could contribute to improved mental health outcomes and reduced government spending.

… the benefit to the mental health is huge, and there’s almost an argument to say, ‘Well, if they’d not had this employment, would they be costing the government and NHS more, through their mental health requirement in the longer term?’

– Employer 6

Communication and relationships with DWP

While many employers and employees had positive experiences with AtW+, challenges were also identified, particularly regarding DWP’s communication and engagement with employees and employers.

On communication, one view expressed among employees was that DWP had not effectively promoted AtW+, leading to a lack of awareness about the scheme and how to access support. In addition, both employees and employers reported finding it difficult to reach a DWP staff member and said they often waited weeks for a response.

… every step along the way had a delay of weeks at least, which meant that the timelines just stretched out.

– Employee 16

On the engagement with employees and employers, employers sometimes expressed frustration over what they perceived to be an unequal partnership with DWP, feeling that they were not treated fairly in the process. In addition, some employees and employers described their interactions with case managers as “dismissive”, “rude” and lacking empathy.

The… staff there need, a little more understanding or training of what actually is. And unfortunately, you can’t teach empathy…and compassion.

– Employer 4

A lack of consistency in case manager communication and decision-making was another challenge that was reported and perceived by participants. As an example, employers noted that case managers often had different interpretations of AtW+, leading to confusion and unpredictability when trying to secure support.

Each case worker has a different understanding of what Access to Work Plus is. We’ve been turned down at times for the employer element where we shouldn’t have been.

– Employer 3 

Case manager reflections on AtW+

Case managers expressed concerns that AtW+ was not fully achieving its intended aims, leading some to question whether the scheme was an effective use of resources. These concerns persisted throughout both phases of AtW+ .

Overlaps with standard AtW

One view among case managers was that AtW+ benefited employers more than employees, as they felt that most employees could have accessed the support they needed through standard AtW. It should be noted that the specific support provided on standard AtW and AtW+ are not the same.

I wouldn’t say it’s really been successful. The majority, like I say, is just it’s not to support the customer, it’s more to support the employer. Because the customer could have got exactly what they wanted from a BAU [business as usual] case.

– Case Manager 8

As such, one view was that a large percentage of AtW+ applicants were existing standard AtW grant customers, who were already managing well without additional funding.

The people are coming through… have all had Access to Work before… and managed quite fine for years with Access to Work. The employees manage without that money for years … In majority of cases, I just think it wasn’t worth it really. I think it should be just part of Access to Work.

– Case Manager 2

Need for a more targeted and integrated approach

Despite these concerns, case managers acknowledged that AtW+ was beneficial for individuals with severe disabilities and complex needs. However, they felt the current criteria was not effectively targeting this group of people. To improve AtW+, they suggested it should be targeted more specifically towards this group.

… although there is a place for it, it’s not hitting the people that it needs to.

– Case Manager 7

Given this, one suggestion from case managers was that AtW+ should not operate as a separate scheme but rather be integrated within the standard AtW scheme. They recommended that case managers should have greater flexibility to provide additional support for employees with severe disabilities through the standard AtW scheme.

To be honest, I don’t think it’s actually necessary with Access to Work Plus. I think you know, we do have customers that have severe disabilities and Access to Work is available for the special aid and equipment that they require, adaptations.

– Case Manager 6

Future considerations

Given these concerns, some case managers expressed reservations over whether AtW+ should be rolled out in the future in its current format. As described above, while case managers views varied, they proposed alternative ways of implementing the scheme to improve its effectiveness, these include specifically targeting the individuals with the highest needs, and by integrating AtW+ into the standard AtW. Potential improvements, reported by all interview participants, are described further in the next section.

8.2 Improving AtW+

Interviewees were asked specifically about what potential improvements could be made to the AtW+ scheme, and they provided a variety of suggestions. These included improvements to the application and enhanced holistic assessment, the support offered, and the approach of case managers, which are all described in detail below. Employers, in particular, shared a willingness to work with DWP to improve the scheme.

It is important to note that some case managers and employers were happy with the AtW+ scheme in its current form, and did not feel any changes were necessary.

Because the experience has been so positive. I don’t know whether there is anything I would change.

– Employer 8

Improving the application process

Increasing contact with case managers

Employees, employers, and case managers all suggested the process could be improved by allowing for greater contact and understanding between all parties during the application process. A common suggestion from employees and employers was to assign a dedicated DWP case officer to handle applications and conduct regular check-ins. They felt this would provide consistency during the application and awards process and make clearer who to contact if they required help from DWP. A dedicated case officer would also help speed up the application process. Case managers noted that having more time and resources would help them better understand the employees’ needs and expected outcomes.

I think the one thing that would probably really help is maybe dedicated account management…They would know you, understand your business and they could really support you… whereas now, every time you ring up the DWP, you just get a different person… which is completely inefficient for both parties.

– Employer 7

Employees also suggested automated updates, such as email notifications, to keep them better informed throughout the process and to confirm which stage the application was currently in. Employees felt that, if they were more involved and received more regular updates, it would reduce stress and improve transparency.

Something automated saying that we’ve now received this letter, we’ll be processing it in 3 weeks’ time and at least that you get a bit more concrete details.

– Employee 14

Providing clearer information throughout the process

All parties suggested the AtW+ scheme would benefit from improved clarity and information throughout the process. This was also true for aspects of the process that were part of standard AtW.

Employees suggested that DWP should hold an introductory session at the start of the application process for employees, to ensure they were fully informed about what support AtW+ could provide, and who could assist them in the process.

I wish I knew that I could do the application. I thought it was something exclusively my boss could do.

– Employee 7

Employers recommended that case managers communicated with more transparency and clarity regarding their application process.

transparency would be helpful. If you knew exactly what’s going on and where it’s going from.

– Employer 4

In particular, employers requested clearer information around claiming financial support, as some found the process complex.

One thing I’m not entirely clear on is the process for claiming financial recompense…I think just having greater clarity on that, I think would be really beneficial.

– Employer 8

Employers also suggested providing a glossary or guide to explain key terminology. As an example, some said they were unclear about the difference between a job coach and support worker, making it difficult to recruit a suitable person for the role.

I think a glossary or a guide or things that explains the terminology. Because for many employers, this is quite a new thing.

– Employer 6

Case managers also recommended improving the clarity in the process. Some case managers noted DWP changed their guidance and policy after AtW+ had already launched, leading some case managers to be confused, and unsure if they were accurately implementing the policy. To address this, they recommended DWP made all their changes and finalised their policies before rolling out the scheme.

The guidance was changed a couple of times whilst we were doing it, like, midway through the process…[I]t was confusing because you would go, you have to go back and read all the guidance again and all the policy.

– Case Manager 7

Modernising the application process

Employers found it challenging that DWP relied on paper-based and postal application submissions, which they viewed as outdated. Employers suggested that DWP instead had an online application portal and an online payment system.

As far as I’m aware, unless anything’s changed, everything done by paper copies…completely ridiculous and backwards.

– Employer 5

Refining the AtW+ criteria

As discussed in Chapter 4.2, case managers suggested that the AtW+ criteria were too broad and suggested that stricter criteria could help DWP better target the intended cohort: people with more severe needs. Case managers believed that employees who met the current AtW+ criteria but did not require additional support should be processed through standard AtW instead. Some case managers suggested using enhanced PIP and people in the ESA support group as indicators of eligibility.

Definitely. The criteria just wasn’t suitable, in my eyes, anyway. It just hit too many people, it didn’t hit the people that we wanted it to hit.

– Case Manager 2

Another suggestion was to include an additional section of the application where employers justify their request for job shaping. This would provide case managers with clearer reasoning and help them make more informed decisions.

The DiSC system

Some case managers suggested improvements to DiSC^{[footnote 6]} which they felt was not fit for purpose. They suggested that DWP should develop a new system that better suited both DWP and employees. For instance, one recommendation was for a new system to track how many employees were supported by the same support worker, allowing DWP to have more oversight and influence on how to pay the support worker.

We’ve always known that DiSC isn’t right for the job, it’s too old… ATWIS^{[footnote 7]} was supposed to have been completed about ten years ago, that’s because DiSC is not fit for purpose any more.

– Case Manager 2

However, it is important to note that some case managers were happy with DiSC, stating it was easy to use and did not require any changes.

Enhanced holistic assessments

There were a number of recommendations made regarding the enhanced holistic assessment.

Employees suggested they should receive a copy of their enhanced holistic assessment report if they applied for reconsideration, allowing them to challenge their award more effectively. It should be noted that the standardised process was indeed for the report to be shared with the decision letter, and then retained under DWP data retention policies; however, some employees reported facing challenges in accessing their reports, as they were told that DWP had deleted them after cases were closed.

Another concern was the perceived difference in assessing mental and physical disabilities. Both employees and employers suggested that AtW+ should change how it assesses the needs of those with mental health disabilities, as those with physical and mental health disabilities often required different process and types of support.

I think compared to someone who’s maybe got a physical disability…I think, it’s slightly different …so it’s quite hard when it’s quite intangible what I need to sort of for anyone to say, We should give you this.

– Employee 5

One suggestion was for case managers to have input into the questions asked by the DWP contracted assessment supplier. This would ensure that DWP contracted assessment suppliers addressed the relevant practical considerations relevant to the decision during assessments, and it would provide case managers with more insights into the questions asked during the assessment when reviewing applications.

If there’s a way for us to know what kind of questions, what kind of conversations are happening … when the assessment is being done…. I think that would definitely be helpful for us when we’re making that decision as well.

– Case Manager 5

Improving the support awarded

Employees and employers suggested several ways to enhance the support provided through AtW+.

As with standard AtW, finding a job coach was challenging for many employees who made suggestions to help make the process easier. In particular, they suggested that DWP created a centralised list or online system where people could register as job coaches.

It would be very nice if the DWP had a list of or some system where people could register as job coaches … you’ve got vulnerable people, and they need to be police checked and everything.

– Employee Appointee 3

Employees also noted that better pay would increase the chance of recruiting suitably qualified job coaches.

As employees were responsible for hiring their own job coach, it was suggested that DWP provides training to ensure all job coaches operated to the same standard and offer consistent support. In addition, employees recommended that DWP provided training or funding for employers on how to interact with and support disabled employees.

Some employers suggested the support provided by AtW+ should not be temporary for employees who will always require assistance to work. They argued that if AtW+ were to be rolled out as a temporary scheme, it would fail to achieve its aims, as many employees would never be able to work independently without ongoing support^{[footnote 8]}.

Developing and improving follow-up support

Currently, as with standard AtW, case managers were no longer connected to cases 28 days after making the support offer. However, case managers, employees and employers all suggested there would be benefits of sustained contact. This recommendation could also apply to standard AtW.

Employers felt that the lack of follow-up meant there was no mechanism to check whether the support was effective. Similarly, employees wanted AtW+ case managers to ensure that the budget allocated by AtW+ was used correctly.

So it’s a case of whether the budget is being used correctly, and it should be overseen, checked on a regular basis because it’s a lot of money.

– Employee Appointee 8

Case managers suggested that follow-ups should be conducted, especially for employees awarded long-term support (e.g., 3-year awards). They raised concerns about incorrect claims, such as job coaches supporting employees only for a few hours while claiming more. However, they also noted that there would be challenges in effectively monitoring these awards.

I think there should be some sort of follow up to it, especially if we were putting the awards in for a 3-year period.

– Case Manager 6

Case managers also felt that follow-up support would give them the opportunity to see the impact the support had on employees, which would give them a better insight into the people they were supporting, and to inform potential future awards.

I know money is going to have a great impact because it allows whoever to be supported, but it’d be nice to know what that support looked like.

– Case Manager 4

Currently, even in renewal cases, case managers did not feel they had the opportunity to understand and review the impact of the support provided. Instead, renewals were often processed without an in-depth conversation with the employer or employee.

If you’re asking if we would have a review of the support that they’ve had in place, probably not. If anything, we’d either send in for another assessment, see if anything’s changed or if it’s like a light touch renewal…we put that back in for them without really having an in-depth conversation with the employer or the customer.

– Case Manager 3

Some case managers recommended that DWP pooled support across support workers. By having one support worker supporting multiple employees, DWP would be able to monitor their progress, and the hours worked.

I think best way to do it is pool support. Have one support worker looking after 20 people.

– Case Manager 7

There were also some suggestions that the contact and follow-ups should continue once an employee was no longer supported. Employers suggested that DWP should help employees with off-boarding, career transitions and job applications, especially when moving between roles or while they were unemployed.

I think from my perspective, it would be useful if they could stay engaged with people… when they’re not working as well. If that process could be smoother.

– Employee 5

This view was echoed in the recommendations of employees, who suggested that more stable, ongoing support, rather than fixed term support tied to a specific role, would make the process more efficient, and reduce the need for them to re-apply.

…they don’t know what’s going to happen at work, like they could be working… and they suddenly lose their job. They want to do a new job, and they need another job coach again.

– Employee 4

Case manager training

All parties, including some case managers themselves, suggested case managers should receive additional training and upskilling to enhance their skills to understand employees’ conditions and improve their communication with employees. This would help case managers navigate and process applications more efficiently.

It’s always good to have sessions on certain disabilities that you might not be aware of, like MS and how it affects the customers and if it’s a progressive illness …and the levels of support that they might need …just to keep, like, refreshed.

– Case Manager 3

Question 9

9.  Conclusion

Accepted Answer

This chapter discusses the overall findings from the research and proposes recommendations for how the AtW+ scheme could be improved going forward.

9.1 Key findings

The evaluation aimed to explore the experiences of participants and case managers in the AtW+ scheme and assess the scheme’s feasibility for wider implementation. This included understanding 3 key areas: impact on employees, impact on employers, and effectiveness and implementation of AtW+. The aims of the research are discussed in more detail in Chapter 1, Introduction.

Below, we summarise the key findings from the evaluation. It should be noted that some of these findings also apply to standard AtW processes.

Support provided through AtW+ was experienced positively

The support provided via AtW+ was generally well-received among both employers and employees. In particular, support workers and job coaches, as well as the provision of equipment, were seen as key in supporting employees in the workplace.

Employers and employees felt AtW+ had a positive impact

Overall, employers and employees felt AtW+ support had a positive impact on employees’ wellbeing, their development of workplace and social skills, and their confidence. They felt the scheme supported employees to work who otherwise might not have been able to, and AtW+ had increased their confidence in employing those who needed additional support to work.

Case managers felt AtW+ did not reach those with the highest in-work needs

Case managers felt the AtW+ eligibility criteria were too broad, resulting in a high volume of applications, not all from individuals with the highest in-work needs or those who faced the most significant barriers to employment. As such, case managers reported that they had initially expected more applications from individuals with severe and complex disabilities, and felt AtW+ had not reached its target cohort. As a result, case managers reported making awards that complied with the AtW+ guidance, but that they felt were unnecessary.

The timelines for all stages of the AtW+ process was seen as slow

Due to delays in the standard AtW scheme, participants often complained about long timelines for the application process and delays in receiving payments. Due to the different stages in the process and a backlog of cases on standard AtW, it could take months or even over a year from the initial application to a final decision. This caused delays in starting job roles, loss of employment opportunities, taking on significant financial risks while waiting for outcomes, and caused stress among employees.

The quality and consistency of Enhanced Holistic Assessments varied

Case managers reported some concerns about the quality and consistency of Enhanced Holistic Assessment reports, including a lack of detail and tailoring to individual applicants, inappropriate suggestions for support, and concerns that DWP contracted assessment suppliers might be overly influenced by employers and third-party representatives, resulting in unnecessary recommendations. However, case managers reported that the quality of the reports improved over time, as the external DWP contracted assessment suppliers incorporated DWP feedback.

Employees and employers did not always agree with case manager decisions

While many were happy with the support awarded, this was not universal. Where employers or employees felt case managers had not made a fair decision, they were concerned that the case manager did not understand employees’ needs, felt the AtW+ guidance was being applied inconsistently, or felt the case manager had awarded an insufficient amount of funding.

There were significant practical challenges

The practicalities of applying for AtW+, receiving a decision, and arranging support caused significant challenges for both employers and employees. These included the complexities of the application process, the perceived lack of communication from case managers, delays with receiving support payments, and difficulties in recruiting support workers. These challenges placed additional administrative and financial burden on employers, and created stress for employees.

9.2 Recommendations

Based on these findings, we have outlined a series of key recommendations for how the AtW+ scheme could be improved if AtW+ were to be rolled out in the future. It should be noted that some of these recommendations could also be applied to standard AtW, particularly where processes are shared, such as the initial application review.

Conduct a review of the eligibility criteria

Case managers felt that the eligibility criteria were too broad, particularly due to those who had an Educational Health and Care Plan (EHCP) being eligible. Case managers felt the criteria meant the scheme was not exclusively working with the intended cohort: those with high in-work support needs and who faced the most significant barriers to employment. Due to this, it was suggested that AtW+ was not operating significantly differently to the standard AtW scheme. Reviewing and potentially refining the eligibility criteria would allow an assessment of whether the criteria is targeting the intended beneficiaries effectively.

Increase efficiency

Delays in the wider AtW scheme impacted on the delivery of AtW+. The timeline for all stages of the AtW+ process was seen as slow, contributing to delays which caused significant challenges for employees and employers. Where an employee had not started their role, delays sometimes led to lost employment opportunity. Where an employee had already started the role, this required their employer or support worker to provide support without receiving a guarantee that this would be covered by the award. This was a significant financial risk. The delay additionally caused stress for employees, particularly where they were unsure of what was happening with their application.

Slow processes were also problematic when they meant employers, support workers or job coaches did not get paid promptly. A more concise timeline, that appreciated the urgency of receiving a decision and payments, both for those looking to start a role and those already in employment, would significantly improve experiences of the AtW+ scheme.

Provide upskilling for case managers

Case managers, employers and employees all acknowledged that in some instances, case managers did not have the necessary knowledge or information to understand the conditions or support needs of the employees who applied for AtW+ support. Additional training for case managers could address this knowledge gap.

Provide greater clarity

Across all aspects of the AtW+ process, both employers and employees reported a lack of clarity. They expressed confusion about the process, where their application was within the process, and how to get additional information if they needed it. There were also reports of perceived inconsistency in decision-making, and a lack of explanation for decisions. Additionally, there were some reports of employers not providing the full level of support an employee had been allocated. To improve experiences of the process, additional information could be provided to all parties, about all stages of the process. This could be through information sessions, additional guidance documents, or more regular contact between DWP, employees and employers.

Improve communication

Overall, participants described a system where they felt out-of-touch with the AtW+ process. They described not being kept up to date with their applications, difficulties in contacting DWP, delayed response to their queries, communication that did not take into account employee needs, and decisions that were sometimes influenced by a lack of knowledge about their circumstances. In some instances, particularly between case managers and third-party representatives, it appeared that communication and trust had largely broken down. This may be a similar experience to those accessing standard AtW. Having a dedicated case manager for each application, or even for each employer, was suggested by participants as a solution to this problem. Participants felt it would ensure that individual circumstances were taken into account during the application and decision-making process. It would also mean there was a clear point of contact at DWP, which could help improve trust and communication between the parties involved.

Establish a post-award contact

Once an award was made, after 28 days, case managers were no longer involved in a case. This limited the ability of DWP to track how the award was used in practice, or the impact of the award. Additional contact between case managers and employees during the post-award phase would allow DWP to ensure the support awarded was used as agreed, monitor the impact of the support, and provide an ongoing point of reference for employees.

Establish a register of support workers, job aides and job coaches

A key element of support provided by AtW+ were support workers, job aides and job coaches. They worked directly with employees to support them in the workplace. Both employees and employers described significant challenges in employing people into these roles, which delayed them accessing their AtW+ support. Additionally, there were few requirements on who could fulfil this type of role, with no training requirement. A potential solution to these issues would be for DWP to maintain a list of support workers, job coaches and job aides. Requirements for being on this list could include passing basic checks such as providing a DBS, or receiving training to perform the role effectively. This may also be a recommendation which would support those using standard AtW.

Question 10

Appendix 1: Discussion guides

Accepted Answer

Case managers

Background and context (5 minutes)

To start off with, I’m going to ask a few questions about your role.

Can you tell me a bit about your role as case manager on Access to Work Plus? Probe:

how did you get the role? what motivated you to take the role?
what phase of Access to Work Plus did you work on? (Phase 1 and/or 2?)
Previous experience of AtW
what was your previous role/experience before this?
to what extent had your previously worked with disabled people and people with physical and mental health conditions, including to support them in work? What were your previous experiences with this?

The case management process, and customer journey (10 minutes)

Now, I want to ask you some questions on the case management process for Access to Work Plus.

Overall, what are your views of the AtW+ guidance ? Ease of use? To what extent did the instructions in the guidance document enable you to have confidence in the process and your decisions? Probe:

What worked well/less well?
How can the instructions and process be improved?
The guidance changed halfway through, between Phase 1 and 2, to what extent did this improve the process or not, and how?

First you receive and review the applications to identify AtW+ customers, using the eligibility criteria.

How did you find this process?
Views of eligibility criteria
To what extent is it easy or difficult to differentiate those applicants who are Access to Work Business as Usual (the standard offer) and those who are Access to Work Plus? What enabled you to differentiate?
Did the applications include sufficient information to make a decision?

Overall, how do you think the customers (or their representatives)/the employers find the process of making the application, including completing the AtW Plus Referral Form?

Easy or difficult? Why?
What do you think would make the application process easier or more efficient?

How begin communicating with the applicants

How did you find the communication with applicants? Probe:

Employees (probe for experiences of communicating with employees with representatives)
Employers. (probe for differences between different types of employers, e.g., size, sector)

Where employee had already started work, was it clear:

what their needs/adjustments were?
Whether they had already been made?
If not how could this be improved?

Were the applications typically employer or employee/employee representative lead? To what extent did this make a difference in the journey or outcome?

To what extent did you engage employee representatives instead of the employee? Probe:

How and when did you engage representatives? How did this impact the process?
What were the benefits to engaging representatives?
What were the barriers to engaging representatives?
What could be improved in this process?

The quality of assessment recommendations (10 minutes)

Now, let’s talk about the report that is returned from assessors after the face-to-face holistic assessment. First, I will ask about the content of the assessments, e.g., how easy they were to interpret, and whether they were clear and detailed enough about the needs identified, and then afterwards, I will ask to what extent the assessment enabled you to make a decision.

What was your experience of receiving holistic assessments?

Probe:

Timeline

Thoughts about the quality of the assessments? Probe:

How easy or difficult are they to interpret?
Are they sufficiently clear to show why there is a need for the support? Probe whether differences between employee and employer adjustments?
Are they sufficiently detailed?
Do assessments refer to employer adjustments?
In what ways could the assessments be improved? Probe for: content, structure, how they are presented.

Decision-making on assessment recommendations (5 minutes)

To what extent has the assessment recommendations enabled you to make a decision? Probe:

What types of things in the assessment helped making a decision?
What were the typical barriers/issues that make making a decision harder?
Have you struggled to make a decision? In those cases, what did you do? How was the decision made?
What could improve the decision-making process in potential future versions of the scheme?
What additional information was required to enable you to make a decision?

Difference between AtW and AtW+ (5 minutes)

Key differences between AtW & AtW+

To what extent did you adapt your communication style between the 2 groups? In what ways?

To what extent did employee representatives engage more in AtW+ compared to AtW?

Now working on AtW+, what is their confidence level working with people with complex health conditions and disabilities?

Probe: before worked on AtW+ compared to after

If not confident – what don’t feel confident about

What could DWP do to support and upskill case managers like you to deal better with this customer group?

Comparisons between Phase 1 and 2 (5 minutes)

What were the main differences between Phase 1 and Phase 2?

In what ways did the changes improve/not improve Access to Work Plus?
Any issues that weren’t addressed
New issues in Phase 2 that weren’t present in Phase 1?

Probe on all above:

Case management process, e.g. guidance, collecting information
Customer journey
Communication between case managers and applicants
Quality of recommendations, e.g., how easy was it to interpret the recommendations
Decision-making on assessment recommendations
Other

Impacts (5 minutes)

If you could change anything about AtW+, what improvements would you make?

(optional) Are there any improvements to DiSC in particular?

End (2-3 minutes)

We are coming to the end of the interview, but I have a few final questions before we finish.

What is the most important element of AtW+
Finally, is there anything else you would like to mention that we haven’t had the opportunity to discuss?

Thank you and reiterate confidentiality.

Signpost for further information if any concerns about discussion:

Employees

Background and context (5 minutes)

To start off with, and before we talk about Access to Work Plus, I’m going to ask a few questions about yourself.

Can you tell me a bit about yourself? Probe:

What area do you work in? How long have you lived there? Who do you live with?

What does a typical week look like for you? Probe:

What are your regular routines or activities? Can you tell me a bit about your job? How long have you had the job for?
What did you do prior to starting this job?
If not working, tell me a bit more about this: how long were you not working for, what were the reasons you were not working?

[ask sensitively] If you are happy to discuss this – do you have any physical or mental health conditions which affect your work? Can you tell me a bit about this, and how it affects you?

How does it affect your work life? What barriers do you face in work due to the condition(s)?

Knowledge of Access to Work + (3 minutes)

I’d like to ask what you know about AtW+ [if unsure/limited understanding, researcher to provide brief description (and highlight difference between AtW & AtW+).

How did you find out about Access to Work Plus?

If by employer: how do you remember the initial conversations? how did you react? what did you think?
If as part of job application how felt about this, process of applying as part of job application, what conversations had.
If they found out about AtW+ and contacted their employer: how did you find it contacting your employer? How did you bring it up? How do you remember the initial conversations?

Have you previously heard about the Access to Work Scheme? Have you previously applied for or been supported by the standard Access to Work scheme.

Have you applied for or been supported by any other funding to support you at work? Have you accessed any other benefits

Did you (either alone or with the help of a representative) apply for Access to Work Plus?

[note to interviewer: If yes, move to section below]

[note to interviewer: if no ask the following and skip section below]

When did you become aware that your employer was applying for AtW+
Reaction, thoughts
How involved were you in the process of your employer making the application
At what point during the process did you become involved
Issues/concerns with timing or process

Applying to Access to Work Plus (7 mins)

[Note to interviewer: Ask if applied for AtW+ themselves – skip if didn’t]

Do you remember applying for Access to Work Plus? Was a representative involved in the application? If yes – how did they support you?

Roughly when/how long ago did you apply to Access to Work Plus?

Why did you decide to apply for Access to Work Plus? Probe:

What made you think the support would be a good fit for you [note to interviewer, approach sensitively]?
Was it clear what the potential support would entail?
Did you have any concerns about applying?

Did anyone help you make the application for Access to Work Plus?

Who helped you? (e.g. family, friends, organisation such as Citizens Advice, employer)
Did you ask them for help? What were your reasons for asking for help?
What did they help you with?

Can you describe the process of applying, step by step, as much as you can remember? Don’t worry if you can’t remember everything, as I realise it is some time ago. Probe:

What was the first thing you did?
And the next thing you did?
Etc.

If not mentioned: how did you find the ‘face to face holistic assessment?

Arranging/attending the assessment
What happened during the assessment?
What did you discuss?
Was it a good/bad experience?

Overall, how did you find the process of making the application?

Easy or difficult? Why?
How long did it take?
Did you face any issues that we haven’t already discussed? Did anyone help you with those issues? How was your issue resolved?
Thinking back, what, if anything, would have made the application process easier for you?

Result of application, support received (5 minutes)

The next questions are about the result of the application to Access to Work Plus.

Were you awarded funding following the assessment?

What funding were you awarded? Probe:

Job replacement
Supervision
Job coaching
Other support

What funding was your employer awarded, if any? Probe:

Job role adjustments (job shaping/carving)
Workplace adjustments

At the time, were you satisfied or not with the result of the assessment, and what support measures you were offered? Why?

How was it to receive the result of the assessment?

What happened afterwards? How long did it take for the support to be implemented? Can you describe this process?

Only for those who were approved, but did not take up the support offered

What happened after being approved?
What were the reasons you or the employer did not take up the support offered? Probe:
Did your employer cover the cost, or was it due to anything else?

Experiences of support received (15 minutes)

Now, I’d like to talk about the support you have received in your workplace, and how you have experienced them.

Have you received any support from AtW+ yet ?

If yes – ask questions below

If no – skip to next box

Can you describe each of the AtW+ support measures in turn? Probe for each:

What support do you/your employer receive?
(for job shaping/carving): how have decisions around job shaping/carving been made? What conversations did you have? Did any work experience/trials influence how the job is shaped/carved?
In what ways is it helpful? How helpful is it?
In what ways could the support be improved?

Overall, how do you find your current role with your current employer? How would you describe your job satisfaction? Probe: how has this been affected by the Access to Work Plus funding?

Impact of support received (10 minutes)

What impact, if any, do you think the support has had, or will have, on your ability to perform your role at work? Probe:

Ability to perform tasks and responsibilities related to the role
Job retention
Productivity
Potential career progression
Health
Wellbeing/confidence/ stress
Choice and control of role, including by sector and location
Bridging gap after education
Transferable guidance about adjustments

For any impact raised: what about AtW+ specifically led to that impact

Would you be able to do the role without the support?

Do you think this type of funding would impact your ability or desire to seek and maintain employment in the future?

Are any impacts related more or less to specific aspects of the support offer?

End (2-3 minutes)

We are coming to the end of the interview, but I have a few final questions before we finish.

What is the most important element of AtW+?

What do you hope your working life will look like in the future?

Finally, is there anything else you would like to mention that we haven’t had the opportunity to discuss?

Thank you and reiterate confidentiality. Incentive of £30 shopping voucher, as a ‘thank you’ from us for your time and contribution. Check how participant would like to receive the voucher. If online: can you please confirm your email address so that we can share the voucher with you? If they say online shopping and/or email is difficult for them, then offer to send vouchers in the post instead.

Signpost for further information if any concerns about discussion:

Employers

Background and context about the organisation and their workforce (5 minutes)

To start off with, I’m going to ask a few questions about your organisation and your role.

Can you tell me a bit about your organisation? Probe:

what is the name of your organisation? What does your organisation do? Which sector
Are they a supported business?
where is it based? Around how many employees do you have?
what types of job roles do you have in your organisation? What are the typical responsibilities of these roles?
what are the typical characteristics of your employees? By gender, age or education, for instance?

To what extent are you able/do you currently employ disabled employees, or employees with substantial physical or mental health conditions?

What are the challenges and barriers, if any, you experience in hiring or employing those employees? Probe: for particular disabilities/health conditions, or particular roles/responsibilities.

What is your experience of hiring and employing those employees, in terms of job performance?

Prior to Access to Work Plus, what have you done, if anything to address those challenges and barriers? In what ways have you supported these employees in the workplace?

Do you know if any of your employees have been supported by the standard Access to Work funding? In what ways, and what have your experiences been?

Knowledge of Access to Work + (3 minutes)

First of all, I’d like to ask what you know about AtW+

[if unsure/limited understanding, researcher to provide brief description (and highlight difference between AtW & AtW+)

We believe [name of employee] access applied for AtW+ while working at your organisation

Are they still working at your organisation?

Have any other employees you know of applied for/received AtW+ funding [if yes, ask throughout for the different experiences across employees, and why]

I’d like you to think back to when you were first made aware of Access to Work Plus.

How were you first made aware of Access to Work Plus?

If by employee/employee representative: how do you remember the initial conversations? how did you react? what did you think?
If they found out about AtW+ and talked to their employee: how did you find it talking to your employee about it? How did you bring it up? How do you remember the initial conversations?

Did you apply for Access to Work Plus?

[note to interviewer: If yes, move to box below]

[note to interviewer: if no ask the following and skip box below]

When did you become aware that your employee/the employee’s representative was applying for AtW+
Reaction, thoughts
How involved were you in the process of the employee/employee representative making the application
At what point during the process did you become involved if did not make application?
Issues/concerns with timing or process

Applying to Access to Work Plus (8 minutes)

[Note to interviewer: Ask if applied for AtW+ themselves – skip if didn’t]

The next questions are about your application for Access to Work Plus..

Roughly when/how long ago did you apply to Access to Work Plus?

Why did you decide to apply for Access to Work Plus? Probe:

Was it clear what the potential support would entail?
What impact would the funding make for your organisation
Where did you get information about Access to Work Plus? How easy/difficult was it to understand?
Did you have any concerns about applying?

Did you access support during your application for Access to Work Plus?

What support did you seek?
Guidance, forum, person
Why did you access support?
How useful was the support?

Can you describe the process of applying, step by step, as much as you can remember? Don’t worry if you can’t remember everything, as I realise it is some time ago. Probe:

What was the first thing you did?
And the next thing you did?
Etc.

Was the employee/employee representative involved in the application process?

At what point
Any issues around their involvement

If not mentioned: how did you find the ‘face to face holistic assessment?

Process of arranging/attending assessment
What happened during the assessment?
What did you discuss?
Was it a good/bad experience?

Overall, how did you find the process of making the application?

Easy or difficult? Why?
How accessible?
How long did it take, was this as expected?
Did you face any issues that we haven’t already discussed? Did anyone help you with those issues? How was your issue resolved?

Thinking back, what, if anything, would have made the application process easier for you?

Result of application, support received (5 minutes)

The next questions are about the result of the application to Access to Work Plus.

Were you/your employee awarded funding following the assessment?

What funding were you, as an employer, awarded, if any? Probe:

Job role adjustments (job shaping/carving)
Workplace adjustments

What funding was your employee awarded, if any? Probe:

Job replacement
Supervision
Job coaching
Other support

At the time, were you satisfied or not with the result of the assessment, and what support measures you were offered? Why? Probe:

Did you understand the decision?
Explained clearly?
justification/rationale for the decision?
If no – did you seek reconsideration/review

How was it to receive the message?

What happened afterwards?

Did organisation & employee take up the support?

If yes: Have you received the funding? How long did it take for you to receive the funding ? Can you describe this process?

Only for those who were approved, but did not take up the support offered

What were the reasons you or the employee did not take up the support offered? Probe:

Did you cover the cost yourselves, or was it due to anything else?

Experiences of support received (15 minutes). Only for those who took up support

Now, let’s talk about the support you and your employee have received, and how you have experienced it.

Can you describe each of the support measures in turn? Probe for each, especially for ‘job role adjustments’ (job shaping/carving) and ‘workplace adjustments’:

What payment/support do you/your employee receive? Are these the same as discussed at holistic assessment?
(for job shaping/carving): how have decisions around job shaping/carving been made?
What conversations did you have?
Who involved in decision making?
Did any work experience/trials influence how the job is shaped/carved?

In what ways is it helpful? How helpful is it?

(probe: for resourcing the role, for supporting employee, for supporting team employee works in)
To what extent is it different to the support you have previously been able to give (if you have been able to provide any)?

In what ways could the support be improved?

Impact of support received (5 minutes)

if employee was not employed before support was in place:

Impact on starting the role. Probe on whether support enabled employee to carry out role as required from start

What impact, if any, does it have on the employee’s ability to perform their role at work? Probe on:

Ability to perform different tasks and responsibilities related to the role
Productivity
Potential career progression
Health
Wellbeing

Do you think the support is sufficient for the employee to remain in work? Do you think any other support may have benefitted your employee to help them start or stay in work? Do you think they would be able to do the role without the support, and to what extent?

Is the support sufficient for your organisation to carry on supporting the employee?

Has the process changed your views and experiences in hiring and working with employees with substantial support needs? In what ways?

Would AtW+ affect your willingness or ability to employ disabled employees? Without the funding would you be able to employ disabled employees?

Are there any specific parts of AtW+ that would influence this more than others?

How likely would you be to apply for AtW+ funding in the future? How likely would you be to recommend other employers in your sector to use the funding? Why/why not?

End (2-3 minutes)

We are coming to the end of the interview, but I have a few final questions before we finish.

If you could make one change to AtW+ what would it be?

Finally, is there anything else you would like to mention that we haven’t had the opportunity to discuss?

Thank you and reiterate confidentiality.

Signpost for further information if any concerns about discussion:

Question 11

Appendix 2: Interview sample

Accepted Answer

The following tables provide insight into the interviewees we spoke to as part of the research.

Table 1: Interview respondents by status group

Status group	Number
Case Managers	8
Employers	10
Employees	14

Table 2: Employee respondents by age group

Age	Number
18-24	7
25-49	4
50-65	3

Table 3: Employee respondents by sex

Sex	Number
Female	6
Male	8

Table 4: Employee respondents by disability

Disability	Number
Physical disability	3
Learning disability	5
Mental health condition	1
Other	4

Table 5: Employee respondents by ethnicity

Ethnicity	Number
White: British	2
Mixed: White & Asian	1
Asian or Asian British: Indian	1
Prefer not to say	4
None selected	6

Table 6: Employee interviews completed by Employee, Appointee, or Support worker

Interviews completed	Number
Employee only	8
Appointee only	4
Employee and Appointee	1
Employee and Support Worker	1

Table 7: Employer size

Employer size	Number
Small (1-49)	1
Medium (50-249)	1
Large (250+)	8

Table 8: Organisation sector

Sector	Number
Public sector	2
Third sector	2
Heritage sector	3
Media and communications sector	1
Arts sector	1
Printing sector	1

DWP (2023) Transforming Support: The Health and Disability White Paper, Policy Paper, 16 March 2023. ↩
Two AtW+ phase 1: May 2022 and ended - December 2022. AtW+ phase 2: June 2023 and ended - March 2024. Qualitative interviews: December 2024 - January 2025. ↩
DiSC is the Disability Service Client administrative system, a system used by the DWP to record information about individuals and their claims for support. ↩
It should be noted that job aides can also perform enabling roles. ↩
The standard DWP complaints process has 2 tiers, the first is handled by front line staff, and if not resolved it is then passed to tier 2: the complaints resolution team. ↩
DiSC is the Disability Service Client administrative system, a system used by the DWP to record information about individuals and their claims for support. ↩
AtWIS stands for the Access to Work Integrated System. ↩
AtW+ support was time limited as it was a pilot scheme. ↩

Cookies on GOV.UK

1. Introduction

1.1 Background

What is AtW+?

Table 1. Key differences between standard AtW and AtW+

Detailed information about AtW+

Applying for AtW+

Eligibility for AtW+

Enhanced holistic assessment

Awarding funding

1. Enhanced Personal Element (for employees)

2. Employer Element (for employers that adapt the workplace or job role to accommodate an employee’s disability or health condition)

Implementation of AtW+

1.2 Aims and objectives

Impact on employees

Impact on employers

1.3 Methodology

Sampling

Recruitment

Data collection and analysis

Limitations

1.4 Report structure

Chapter 2: Experiences of support.

Chapter 3: Impact of support.

Chapter 4: Application process.

Chapter 5: Enhanced holistic assessment.

Chapter 6: Funding award.

Chapter 7: Comparing standard AtW and AtW+.

Chapter 8: Reflections and improvements.

Chapter 9: Conclusion.

Appendix 1: Discussion guides.

Appendix 2: Interview sample.

2. Experiences of support

2.1 Types of support received

Job aide

Job coach

Adapted Job Roles

Adapted Workplace

Additional types of support

Travel to work

Equipment

Education

2.2 Experiences of support received

What went well

Potential improvements

Skill of job coaches

Timeliness of payments

Implementation of support after receiving funding

Level of support

Administration

Employer support

3. Impact of support

3.1 The impact of specific support elements

Impact of job aides

Impact of job coaches

3.2 Overall impact of AtW+

Impact on employment opportunities

Impact on future work

Impact on wellbeing

Impact on communication and social skills

Impact on confidence

3.3 Sufficiency of the support received

4. Application Process

4.1 Learning about AtW+

4.2 Experiences of the application process

Reviewing initial applications

Case managers’ views of the criteria

Contacting employees

Challenges

Complexity of the process

Length of the process

Communication with case managers

5. Enhanced Holistic Assessments

5.1 Experiences of Enhanced Holistic Assessments

Arranging the assessments

Experience of the assessment

Enhanced holistic assessment: what went well

Enhanced holistic assessment: what could have gone better

5.2 Enhanced holistic assessment reports

Level of detail