Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the average financial value of awards made to people whose primary medical condition was classified as difficulty in hearing for the provision of a communication support worker in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
Answered by Lord Freud
The average figures for the last five years for awards for the provision of Communication Support Workers from the Access to Work scheme are:
Financial Year | Average award |
2009/10 | £9,900 |
2010/11 | £11,100 |
2011/12 | £12,700 |
2012/13 | £14,600 |
2013/14 | £13,500 |
The above figures relate to the provision of Communication Support Workers only and do not include information regarding the provision of BSL interpreters.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to consider individual and local requirements in the provision of Access to Work support for deaf people.
Answered by Lord Freud
All 128 Access to Work advisers receive training which includes Disability Awareness, Decision Making, Equality & Diversity, Negotiating Skills and Effective Communications. In addition, Access to Work have specialist adviser teams focussing on hearing impaired and visually impaired customers, and also a team to assist customers with mental health conditions. These teams receive additional training, which includes input from suppliers, disability charities and other disability led groups. Also as part of the standard adviser training, staff undertake Influencing Skills and Constructive Conversations training to enable them to work effectively with employers.
Access to Work advisers have standardised work instructions to help ensure consistency during the evaluation and decision making process. However, all Access to Work awards are agreed on an individual basis, taking account of a customer’s disability, job role and the barriers they are facing. Standards are monitored using a Quality Assurance Framework which includes the quality of telephone conversations with customers and employers, and the consistency and accuracy of decisions and financial awards.
Access to Work aims to contact customers within 7 working days and give 80% of all decisions in 15 working days. Time sensitive requests, such as customer support requirements at interview, are prioritised and are supported by a 5 working day service standard. Demand for Access to Work, particularly new applications, grew during 2013/14 and customer volumes continue to grow in 2014/15.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the service delivery standards for the Access to Work scheme.
Answered by Lord Freud
All 128 Access to Work advisers receive training which includes Disability Awareness, Decision Making, Equality & Diversity, Negotiating Skills and Effective Communications. In addition, Access to Work have specialist adviser teams focussing on hearing impaired and visually impaired customers, and also a team to assist customers with mental health conditions. These teams receive additional training, which includes input from suppliers, disability charities and other disability led groups. Also as part of the standard adviser training, staff undertake Influencing Skills and Constructive Conversations training to enable them to work effectively with employers.
Access to Work advisers have standardised work instructions to help ensure consistency during the evaluation and decision making process. However, all Access to Work awards are agreed on an individual basis, taking account of a customer’s disability, job role and the barriers they are facing. Standards are monitored using a Quality Assurance Framework which includes the quality of telephone conversations with customers and employers, and the consistency and accuracy of decisions and financial awards.
Access to Work aims to contact customers within 7 working days and give 80% of all decisions in 15 working days. Time sensitive requests, such as customer support requirements at interview, are prioritised and are supported by a 5 working day service standard. Demand for Access to Work, particularly new applications, grew during 2013/14 and customer volumes continue to grow in 2014/15.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they are monitoring the approaches taken by Access to Work advisers during the assessment and decision-making process, and what measures they are taking to ensure consistency.
Answered by Lord Freud
All 128 Access to Work advisers receive training which includes Disability Awareness, Decision Making, Equality & Diversity, Negotiating Skills and Effective Communications. In addition, Access to Work have specialist adviser teams focussing on hearing impaired and visually impaired customers, and also a team to assist customers with mental health conditions. These teams receive additional training, which includes input from suppliers, disability charities and other disability led groups. Also as part of the standard adviser training, staff undertake Influencing Skills and Constructive Conversations training to enable them to work effectively with employers.
Access to Work advisers have standardised work instructions to help ensure consistency during the evaluation and decision making process. However, all Access to Work awards are agreed on an individual basis, taking account of a customer’s disability, job role and the barriers they are facing. Standards are monitored using a Quality Assurance Framework which includes the quality of telephone conversations with customers and employers, and the consistency and accuracy of decisions and financial awards.
Access to Work aims to contact customers within 7 working days and give 80% of all decisions in 15 working days. Time sensitive requests, such as customer support requirements at interview, are prioritised and are supported by a 5 working day service standard. Demand for Access to Work, particularly new applications, grew during 2013/14 and customer volumes continue to grow in 2014/15.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Access to Work advisers have received (1) awareness training in the implications for a particular disability, and (2) training to enable them to work constructively with employers.
Answered by Lord Freud
All 128 Access to Work advisers receive training which includes Disability Awareness, Decision Making, Equality & Diversity, Negotiating Skills and Effective Communications. In addition, Access to Work have specialist adviser teams focussing on hearing impaired and visually impaired customers, and also a team to assist customers with mental health conditions. These teams receive additional training, which includes input from suppliers, disability charities and other disability led groups. Also as part of the standard adviser training, staff undertake Influencing Skills and Constructive Conversations training to enable them to work effectively with employers.
Access to Work advisers have standardised work instructions to help ensure consistency during the evaluation and decision making process. However, all Access to Work awards are agreed on an individual basis, taking account of a customer’s disability, job role and the barriers they are facing. Standards are monitored using a Quality Assurance Framework which includes the quality of telephone conversations with customers and employers, and the consistency and accuracy of decisions and financial awards.
Access to Work aims to contact customers within 7 working days and give 80% of all decisions in 15 working days. Time sensitive requests, such as customer support requirements at interview, are prioritised and are supported by a 5 working day service standard. Demand for Access to Work, particularly new applications, grew during 2013/14 and customer volumes continue to grow in 2014/15.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the Access to Work scheme’s allocations on employers’ ability to employ large numbers of disabled employees.
Answered by Lord Freud
The Department for Work and Pensions has conducted a series of meetings and workshops this year with users, disabled people's organisations, employers and other experts to ensure that Access to Work builds on its success in a way that is sustainable and ensures that we can help as many disabled people to fulfil their potential in the workplace as possible.
It is right that larger employers make a contribution to supporting their staff, but we are looking more widely at how we can better support employers to recruit and retain disabled people. We have already made a significant concession on cost share by exempting small employers from cost share, potentially saving businesses with fewer than 50 staff up to £2,400 for each employee who uses the scheme.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they are currently engaging in dialogue with organisations, employers and individuals to guarantee best practice throughout the Access to Work scheme.
Answered by Lord Freud
The Department for Work and Pensions has conducted a series of meetings and workshops this year with users, disabled people's organisations, employers and other experts to ensure that Access to Work builds on its success in a way that is sustainable and ensures that we can help as many disabled people to fulfil their potential in the workplace as possible.
It is right that larger employers make a contribution to supporting their staff, but we are looking more widely at how we can better support employers to recruit and retain disabled people. We have already made a significant concession on cost share by exempting small employers from cost share, potentially saving businesses with fewer than 50 staff up to £2,400 for each employee who uses the scheme.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they will ensure that the application process for the Access to Work scheme is service-user focused, particularly with regard to deaf users.
Answered by Lord Freud
Access to Work does not publish data on Service delivery performance as such data is collated for Management information only and therefore not subject to the assurance required to share with stakeholders.
No formal assessment of awareness has taken place but all Jobcentre Plus staff learn about the Access to Work programme as part of their extensive training. In addition, all relevant sections of DWP guidance signpost staff to additional information about Access to Work. Access to Work staff also deliver either face to face or telephone based learning sessions for Jobcentre Plus colleagues on request.
Access to Work aims to make the application process accessible to all service users. Officials are currently engaging with Deaf users, disabled people's organisations and other experts to ensure that Access to Work has the best possible customer service so that we can help as many Deaf, and other disabled, people to fulfill their potential in the workplace as possible.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of Access to Work awareness training for Jobcentre Plus staff.
Answered by Lord Freud
Access to Work does not publish data on Service delivery performance as such data is collated for Management information only and therefore not subject to the assurance required to share with stakeholders.
No formal assessment of awareness has taken place but all Jobcentre Plus staff learn about the Access to Work programme as part of their extensive training. In addition, all relevant sections of DWP guidance signpost staff to additional information about Access to Work. Access to Work staff also deliver either face to face or telephone based learning sessions for Jobcentre Plus colleagues on request.
Access to Work aims to make the application process accessible to all service users. Officials are currently engaging with Deaf users, disabled people's organisations and other experts to ensure that Access to Work has the best possible customer service so that we can help as many Deaf, and other disabled, people to fulfill their potential in the workplace as possible.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government in how many cases customer complaints regarding the application and assessment process of the Access to Work scheme have led to reconsideration of the decision made.
Answered by Lord Freud
Access to Work does not publish data on Service delivery performance as such data is collated for Management information only and therefore not subject to the assurance required to share with stakeholders.
No formal assessment of awareness has taken place but all Jobcentre Plus staff learn about the Access to Work programme as part of their extensive training. In addition, all relevant sections of DWP guidance signpost staff to additional information about Access to Work. Access to Work staff also deliver either face to face or telephone based learning sessions for Jobcentre Plus colleagues on request.
Access to Work aims to make the application process accessible to all service users. Officials are currently engaging with Deaf users, disabled people's organisations and other experts to ensure that Access to Work has the best possible customer service so that we can help as many Deaf, and other disabled, people to fulfill their potential in the workplace as possible.