Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department complies with the Prompt Payment Code in respect of support workers who invoice the Department through the Access to Work scheme.

Access to Work is a discretionary grant scheme which provides funding for in work adjustments and support for people with disabilities and health conditions. The Prompt Payment Code refers to the Government and Private Sector commercial contract payments. As Access to Work is a grant scheme and does not procure the support for customers, the Code does not apply.

DWP and Access to Work recognise the importance of reimbursing grant funding at the earliest opportunity and aims to make payments within 10 working days of a fully completed claim for reimbursement.