In what should be a flagship scheme for workplace inclusion, Access to Work (AtW) is rapidly becoming a barrier instead of a bridge, especially for Deaf people and the employers who want to hire them.
Recent reforms, quietly rolled out under the guise of “operational delivery” changes, have placed additional financial and logistical burdens on disabled people and their employers. While these updates may not change official policy on paper, their practical impact is severe, particularly for Deaf jobseekers and employees, British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters, and businesses trying to do the right thing.
30+ Weeks and Still Waiting
The wait time from applying for AtW to getting assessed now regularly exceeds 30 weeks – that’s over seven months. During this period, employers are legally responsible for funding all support costs, with no way of claiming these back retrospectively. For small businesses, charities, and self-employed individuals, this is not just inconvenient, it’s untenable.
The direct result? Employers could likely become hesitant, to recruit Deaf or disabled candidates, not because they lack talent, but because the system penalises employers for trying to be inclusive.
A System That Disincentivises Inclusion
Let’s be clear: no small business can realistically afford to front the cost of support such as BSL interpreting, job aides, or assistive equipment for half a year. With no guarantee of reimbursement, employers are having to make difficult decisions that too often result in excluding disabled candidates from the hiring process altogether.
These delays, paired with rising business costs and no fast-track option for urgent support, are already having a chilling effect. We are hearing of employers who are backing out of job offers to Deaf candidates simply because they cannot afford the risk.
Devaluing BSL Professionals
Access to Work has also started capping fees for BSL interpreters below market rates. For a profession that requires years of specialist training, this is not only insulting, it’s unsustainable.
On top of that, many interpreters are not being paid on time, with delays running into months. As a result, an increasing number of qualified BSL interpreters are refusing Access to Work bookings altogether. For the Deaf community, this has devastating consequences, especially considering the existing national shortage of interpreters.
Deaf People Disproportionately Affected
For Deaf people, these changes are more than administrative, they are real.
Deaf employees are being left unsupported for months, often during probation periods or in new roles where communication is critical.
Deaf jobseekers face hiring discrimination, not because of their skills, but due to a broken funding system that scares employers away.
Self-employed Deaf professionals who are often self-employed because of inaccessible workplaces, are being told to fund what are effectively essential access tools out of their own pocket.
As disability consultant Alice Hastie explains, these changes signal a deep misunderstanding of the real-life challenges disabled people face at work. “The lack of differentiation between what a self-employed claimant or small employer should be expected to self-fund versus a large organisation is staggering,” she writes. “A disabled person may now face thousands of pounds in costs they simply can’t afford, so they stop working altogether.”
Further Erosion of Support
Recent changes include:
Removal of flexibility to accommodate small price increases in taxis or support worker fees. Now, if a cost increases even slightly, the claimant must file a change of circumstances, which often restarts the long waiting period.
Hard caps on support worker hourly rates, meaning employers or individuals are expected to top up the difference. These caps are based on employed rates found on job sites, completely ignoring the reality that many support workers, especially interpreters, are self-employed professionals with different cost structures.
A redefinition of what constitutes “replacement” versus “enablement” in support worker roles, making it harder to secure approval for activities like note-taking, planning, or executive functioning support.
What This Means for the Future
These so-called reforms will do nothing but drive more Deaf people out of employment. They undermine the government’s stated goal of reducing reliance on disability benefits, while simultaneously making it harder for disabled people to stay in work.
At a time when employers are being encouraged to “level up” and build inclusive workplaces, Access to Work is pulling the rug from under them.
Take Action
- If you’re an employer, a service provider, or a Deaf person impacted by these changes, now is the time to act. Contact your MP. Share your experience. Push back on these decisions that are being implemented without transparency, consultation, or an adequate impact assessment.
- Click here to share your views directly with the Government in current consultation – closing date 30 June 2025
Inclusion isn’t a buzzword, it’s a right. And right now, that right is under threat.
