Is It Still Worth Applying for Access to Work in 2025? | Disability Benefits & Reform Explained

What disabled and neurodivergent workers need to know after the latest benefit reform proposals

The last few months have been exhausting and infuriating. In spring, the UK government proposed sweeping welfare reforms that would cut key disability benefits, triggering immediate backlash from disabled communities, charities, and even Labour MPs.

Now, after a flurry of amendments and political wrangling, we're left with a deeply compromised system. The reforms weren't scrapped, just delayed. And for many, the threat hasn't passed, just got postponed instead...

Let's recap what's happened so far:

• Early 2024: The government announced plans to scrap the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) and make the PIP assessment the sole route to health-related Universal Credit.
  

• January 2025: A House of Lords committee called for a comprehensive overhaul of the disability benefits system, advocating for simplified processes and enhanced support for people with fluctuating conditions.
  

• February 2025: Media reports began surfacing about potential cuts to disability support, sparking early concern among campaigners and charities.
  

• 5 March 2025: Draft proposals were shared with the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), suggesting billions in planned ‘savings’ tied to disability benefit reforms.
  

• 18 March 2025: Rachel Reeves confirmed that the Spring Statement would include deep welfare cuts, positioning them as part of a ‘fiscally responsible’ plan.
  

• 26 March 2025: The Pathways to Work Green Paper was published, proposing the 4-point rule, scrapping the WCA, raising age limits for support, and suggesting reforms to Access to Work.
  

• June 2025: Over 120 Labour MPs, charities, and disabled people pushed back. Protests, petitions, and critical public statements dominated headlines.
  

• Late June 2025: Mel Stride MP announced a partial U-turn: the 4-point rule would only apply to new PIP claimants after November 2026.
  

• 1–2 July 2025: 49 Labour MPs rebelled and voted against the bill. The government delayed parts of the rollout but didn’t reverse the changes.
  

• 9 July 2025 – The Welfare Reform Bill entered the committee stage. Meanwhile, Access to Work remained largely unaddressed, despite warnings of cuts and structural changes.

What's Changing - and Why It Matters

The government says this is about simplifying the system. But when you look closer, the changes would more than tidy up admin work for DWP staff. They narrow down who counts as disabled, lean heavily on flawed assessments, and push already-excluded people further to the margins - especially those with invisible, neurodivergent, or fluctuating needs.

Here's what that looks like in practice.

Scrapping the Work Capability Assessment (WCA)

Yes, the WCA was flawed. But replacing it with only the PIP assessment means if you don't meet PIP's narrow criteria, you're out - full stop.

People with executive dysfunction, chronic fatigue, or burnout often won't qualify, even if they genuinely can't sustain work right now.

The "4-Point Rule"

To qualify for support, claimants must score at least 4 points on a single PIP activity.

That means:

• Moderate needs across several areas won't count.

• Masking, internalised struggle, or sensory overload won't be seen.

• Neurodivergent workers with invisible or fluctuating needs are disproportionately excluded.
  
  

Universal Credit Health Element Cut

New claimants from 2026 will receive around £200/month less if deemed too unwell to work.

It's a massive blow for:

• Newly diagnosed adults

• Those recovering from trauma or illness

• Young people with delayed diagnoses

Delayed Support for Young People

The reforms raise the minimum age for disability-related Universal Credit to 22, and for PIP to 18.

Young disabled people, who already face systemic barriers to work and education, are effectively told to wait.

What Was The Backlash?

These reforms sparked immediate and widespread backlash, especially from the charities and organisations working directly with the people who are most at risk.

Those on the ground saw the harm clearly, and they didn't stay quiet.

For example:

• Disability Rights UK called the proposed bill ‘punitive’ and warned it would create a two-tier system that locks out those with mental health conditions, fluctuating needs, and less visible disabilities.
  

• The Together Trust argued that delaying eligibility for PIP and the UC health element (to ages 18 and 22) would leave disabled young people without support during a pivotal stage of development. 94% of the parent-carers they surveyed said their child's quality of life would worsen under the changes.
  

• Citizens Advice warned that the proposed disability benefit cuts will plunge hundreds of thousands into deeper poverty, especially disabled people and their children. They criticised the reforms as savings-driven, not outcome-led, with some losing over £10,000/year. 

Labour also faced a major rebellion within its own party, with over 120 Labour MPs signing an amendment calling for the bill to be blocked entirely. When it reached second reading in July, 49 broke ranks and voted against it.

The backlash showed these reforms aren't inevitable. Charities, campaigners, and disabled people pushed back and forced changes to happen.

It's a clear reminder that policies aren't set in stone. How we define ‘disabled enough’ shapes who gets support, and when we speak up together, we can shift the outcome.

So, Where Does That Leave Access to Work?

Here's where things get messy.

Technically, Access to Work hasn't changed - yet. The scheme still exists and continues to fund support to help disabled and neurodivergent people stay in work. But while the scheme remains the same, everything around it is shifting. 

The proposed benefit reforms will make it more difficult for many people to access support through PIP or Universal Credit. That means more people will turn to Access to Work to fill the gap, even as the system continues to struggle with delays, admin overload, and inconsistent delivery.

What Access to Work Still Offers (and funds):

The Access to Work scheme is designed to help individuals access the tools, adjustments, and resources they need to thrive at work, such as:

• Support workers, interpreters, or job coaches

• Noise-cancelling headphones, assistive software, or sensory aids

• Neurodivergent-informed coaching or skills training

• Taxi fares and travel funding

• Remote working setup or workplace communication tools

It's still one of the most flexible, individualised forms of support available - especially for freelancers, part-time workers, and those working from home. But navigating it? That's another story.

Should You Still Apply For Access To Work in 2025?

Yes - especially now.

Why Applying For Access To Work Is Still Worth IT

1. It's one of the last supports still standing. Even with the delays and admin, Access to Work can cover thousands of pounds in workplace support every year.
   

2. It adapts to you. There's no list of ‘approved conditions’. It's about what you need to do your job, not whether you fit a formal diagnosis.
   

3. It's an act of self-advocacy. The problem isn't your access needs - the problem is the system. ATW is one way to push back and ask for the adjustments you deserve.
   

If you've tried before and given up, you're not alone. This system can be exhausting by design, but support makes a big difference.

Need Help Applying For Access To Work?

Hi, I'm Anita.

Access to Work can be frustrating and confusing, but you don't have to figure it out alone.

I offer neurodivergent-affirming, human-first Access To Work support, whether you're applying for the first time, renewing your application, or just feeling completely overwhelmed by the process.

How I Can help You with your access to work application

Clarifying your eligibility

Writing your application

Navigating assessments

Hiring and managing support workers

Avoiding burnout while navigating the grant system

Final Takeaway

Access to Work is still worth it, especially right now.

It's flawed. It's slow. But it exists. And until we have better systems, it's one of the few tools we've got to make work more accessible on our terms.

Don't wait for the rules to change. Apply now. And if you need someone in your corner, I'm here.

• Can I get Access to Work if I get PIP?

  Yes. You can get Access to Work whether or not you receive Personal Independence Payment (PIP) - they’re two separate schemes with different purposes.

  • PIP helps with the extra costs of daily living and mobility for people with a disability or long-term health condition.

  • Access to Work is a government grant that supports disabled people in work by funding adjustments such as support workers, assistive technology, or travel costs.
    

  Receiving PIP can sometimes strengthen your Access to Work application, but it’s not required. You won’t be disqualified if you don’t receive PIP.

• Does Access to Work still exist?

  Yes, but it’s under pressure.

  The Access to Work scheme still exists in 2025 and continues to offer support such as job coaching, assistive technology, sensory aids, travel funding, and workplace adaptations.

  But demand is high, and many applicants are reporting:

  • Long delays (often 6-10 months)

  • Reduced or cut support packages

  • Inconsistent communication from case managers

  The government is also consulting on reforms that may change how Access to Work is delivered in the future, including platform-based or employer-led models, possibly from late 2025 or 2026.

• What’s happening to PIP in 2025?

  The UK government is proposing significant changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in 2025.

  These include:

  • A new ‘4-point rule’: starting in November 2026, new claimants must score at least 4 points on one activity to qualify for the daily living component.

  • Existing claimants are temporarily exempt from this rule (after a government U-turn in July 2025), but may still be affected later.

  • Plans to potentially replace PIP entirely with a new assessment model are being explored, although no confirmed replacement has been identified yet.

  These changes could reduce eligibility for people with fluctuating, neurodivergent, or invisible conditions.

• What welfare benefits are being cut?

  The 2025 Welfare Reform Bill and Pathways to Work Green Paper propose several major changes to UK disability benefits:

  • Scrapping the Work Capability Assessment (WCA)

  • Ending the Universal Credit health top-up (around £200/month) for new claimants from 2026

  • Raising the minimum age for PIP (to 18) and UC health elements (to 22)

  • Tighter criteria for PIP, especially for people with invisible, fluctuating, or mental health conditions

  These cuts are not all final, but they mark a shift toward narrower definitions of disability and fewer routes to support.

• Is LCWRA being scrapped in 2025?

  Yes, but only for new claimants.

  The government plans to phase out the Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA) element of Universal Credit from 2026 onward.

  
  That means:

  • New claimants may no longer receive the current £390/month top-up unless they qualify for PIP

  • Existing LCWRA claimants will continue to receive the payment for now

  • PIP is expected to become the only route to extra financial support for people who can’t work due to health conditions

  This change could disproportionately affect people with long-term mental health conditions, chronic illness, and neurodivergent needs.