Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to assist employers whose premises are inaccessible to potential employees with disabilities.

Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) runs the Access to Work Scheme which provides grant funding to disabled people, as well as those with a health condition. The grant supports workplace adjustments that go beyond what would normally be expected from an employer through their duty to provide reasonable adjustments as outlined in the Equality Act 2010.   This can include grants to make appropriate changes to a place of work, to make them more accessible for the customer.

In addition, as set out in the Pathways to Work Green Paper published on 18 March, DWP are consulting on the future of the Access to Work scheme.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether there are enough English for Speakers of Other Languages classes throughout the country to meet demand, and whether those classes are free for asylum seekers and refugees.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)

The department supports adults aged 19+ in England to access English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) provision, funded through the Adult Skills Fund (ASF), subject to the eligibility requirements laid out in the ASF. This allows learners to develop the English language skills they need for everyday life, work or further learning.

Adults who are granted refugee status or humanitarian protection by the Home Office, and asylum seekers whose cases have been pending for six months or longer, are eligible for the same skills funding as any other English resident and are not subject to the normal three year qualifying period to access ASF funding.

Currently, approximately 60% of the ASF is devolved to nine mayoral strategic authorities and delegated to the Mayor of London acting through the Greater London Authority. These authorities are responsible for the provision of adult education and allocation of the ASF in their local areas.

The department is responsible for the remaining ASF in non-devolved areas where colleges and training providers have the freedom and flexibility to determine how they use their ASF to meet the specific needs of their communities.

In non-devolved ASF areas, adults eligible for ASF funding, including those granted humanitarian protection and asylum seekers whose cases have been pending for six months or more, can be fully funded or co-funded to study ESOL, depending on their employment status and salary.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many disabled people are employed in the Access to Work division of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

DWP staff are not required to disclose details of any disabilities, however, the information can be voluntarily provided and based on those responses, 127 staff that work for Access to Work have declared a disability.

Women and Work APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Women and Work APPG Parliamentarians in attendance: • Baroness Garden of Frognal • Baroness Thomas of Winchester