Make Work Accessible

Blind and partially sighted (BPS) people can claim Government support with employment for things like specialist equipment via the Access to Work Scheme.

However, despite new resources being directed to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to process claims more quickly, we at TPT remain concerned that the new measures may not deliver the intended improvements. Recent backlogs often caused application processes to last six months or longer, delaying BPS people’s start dates and, in the worst cases, prompting job offer retractions.

Our #MakeWorkAccessible campaign begins with a simple survey to learn from BPS people’s recent Access to Work experiences. Our key question is how long must BPS people wait for government actions to take effect and have a real impact on the scheme. Your views and experiences both inform and lend weight to our work, so please complete our survey below.

Complete our survey

Details of just how much blind and partially sighted people are struggling with the scheme are made all too clear in this recent RNIB Report.

This deterioration is key to the persistent fact that only one in four blind or partially sighted people of working age are employed. Through the #MakeWorkAccessible campaign, TPT aims to see a return to the former four-week average at least, with smarter processes for unchanging claims among other common sense measures.

Besides the survey, you can help us raise awareness by sharing experiences. Your stories would add substance to future campaigning. To do so, contact us via email using the link below.

Email us your experiences

Track this page for new developments or sign up to our campaigns newsletter by clicking here.