Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what representations she has received on disabled (a) employees and (b) business owners not receiving support in work as a result of the covid-19 lockdown; and if she will make a statement.

A cross section of disabled people, employers and stakeholders’ organisations have been engaging with the department in relation to the impacts covid-19 policies. To support employees, Access to Work is continuing to provide support for people with a disability or health condition whether they are working in the workplace or are working from home.

In addition, to support disabled people and their employers during covid-19 Access to Work has introduced various measures, these include:

• Prioritising new applications from key workers and those with jobs starting within the next 4 weeks;
• Extending the timeframe customers have to submit payment claim forms to 9 months;
• Accepting employer and support worker signatures via email;
• Extending Support Worker awards that are coming to an end by 6 months;
• Adapting the way our assessments are undertaken to support customers who don’t know what support they need and/or where coping strategies are required as part of the Mental Health Support Service; and
• Accepting email claim forms from customers who request this as a reasonable adjustment.