Access to Work provides practical and financial support with the additional costs faced by individuals whose health or disability affects the way they do their job.<\/p>
<\/p>
In response to the Sayce review, the government committed to spending an extra £15m on Access to Work by the end of this Spending Review period. Access to Work has been extended to support some pre-employment activity such as Supported Internships, Traineeships and certain work experience. We no longer apply mandatory cost share for small employers and we have removed the list of standard equipment Access to Work will not fund; instead Access to Work advisers are working constructively with employers and employees to identify where Access to Work can assist.<\/p>
<\/p>
We have also introduced the Access to Work Mental Health Support Service. This can offer support to individuals with a mental health condition who are absent from work or finding work difficult. The service supports those experiencing depression, anxiety, stress or other mental health issues that are affecting their work.<\/p>
<\/p>
Additionally, Fit for Work will be launched in late 2014 with a phased roll-out coming to a close by the end of May 2015. Fit for Work will deliver both a supportive occupational health assessment and general health and work advice to employees, employers and GPs, to help individuals stay in or return to work.<\/p>
<\/p>
Finally, Work Choice provides disabled people with complex barriers to employment with a seamless service covering all stages of the journey into work. Short to longer-term in-work support is provided and progression into open unsupported employment is encouraged, where it is appropriate for the individual.<\/p>
<\/p>
Work Choice can provide an indefinite period of support once the customer is in work in recognition of the fact that some Work Choice participants may need ongoing support to overcome barriers in work that cannot be met through normal workplace adjustments.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1520", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Mark Harper"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Forest of Dean"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Mark Harper"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-24T13:54:32.9816514Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Employment: Disability"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to improve the support available to disabled people in the workplace.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4243", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dan Jarvis"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Barnsley Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dan Jarvis"} ], "uin" : "211336"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100270", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100270/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
DWP statisticians are currently working to collate and quality assure data on Mandatory Reconsideration. The Department has committed to publishing statistics as soon as Departmental statisticians judge that the data meets the standards set out in the UK Statistics Authority\u2019s Codes of Practice. The aim is to release an initial set of official statistics on Mandatory Reconsideration by the end of 2014.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1520", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Mark Harper"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Forest of Dean"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Mark Harper"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-28T17:11:27.8789541Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Social Security Benefits"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 3 September 2014 to Question 207337, when his Department's statisticians last assessed whether statistics on mandatory reconsideration meet the standards set out in the UK Statistics Authority's code of practice.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1590", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Clark of Kilwinning"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North Ayrshire and Arran"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Katy Clark"} ], "uin" : "211322"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100271", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100271/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Information on the number of IIDB recipients also in receipt of State Pension and other means tested benefits is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1520", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Mark Harper"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Forest of Dean"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Mark Harper"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-28T17:15:42.2134041Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of claimants of industrial injuries disablement benefit as a result of having contracted an asbestos-related disease were in receipt of (a) state pension credit and (b) other means tested benefits in each of the last five years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4120", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kate Green"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stretford and Urmston"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Kate Green"} ], "uin" : "211228"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100272", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100272/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Information on the cost of industrial injuries disablement benefit payments in respect of claimants suffering from particular diseases is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1520", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Mark Harper"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Forest of Dean"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Mark Harper"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-28T14:12:54.637193Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total cost of industrial injuries disablement benefit payments in respect of claimants suffering from as asbestos-related disease was in each of the last five years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4120", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kate Green"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stretford and Urmston"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Kate Green"} ], "uin" : "211229"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100273", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100273/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The number of people in receipt of industrial injuries disablement benefit who claimed the benefit as a result of having contracted an asbestos-related disease, in each of the last five years can be found in table 1.12A at:<\/p>
<\/p>