Access to Work cap freeze: what disabled workers need to know

Last reviewed: 8 June 2026
Applies to: England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland has a separate Access to Work (NI) scheme.
Written by: Georgina, Founder of Purpl

The Access to Work cap is currently £69,260 a year for grants awarded or reviewed from 8 April 2024 to 31 March 2027. It has not increased for 2025/26 or 2026/27, which matters because rising support costs can mean the same grant covers fewer interpreter, support worker or travel hours.

Access to Work is still open to disabled people and people with physical or mental health conditions who need support to get or stay in paid work.

If you are new to workplace support, Purpl’s UK Disability Benefits & Support Handbook can also help you understand the wider support, grants and cost-saving help that may be available.

At a glance

The Access to Work cap stays at £69,260 a year for 2025/26 and 2026/27.
The cap has not gone down in cash terms, but it may feel like a real-terms reduction when support costs rise.
Disabled people with high or ongoing support needs may reach the cap earlier in the year.
People who rely on BSL interpreters, support workers, job coaches or disability-related travel may feel the impact most.
Access to Work is still available and remains an important route into work for many disabled people.
Apply early, track your support use and ask for a review if your job or disability-related needs change.

What is Access to Work?
What has changed with the Access to Work cap?
Why this matters for disabled people
Who is most affected by the Access to Work cap?
What this could mean in practice
Access to Work delays and backlogs
What you can do now
Where to apply or get help
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
In summary

What is Access to Work?

Access to Work is a government-funded employment support scheme for disabled people and people with physical or mental health conditions. It can help pay for practical support that someone needs to start work, stay in work, move into self-employment or manage disability-related barriers at work (https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work).

The support depends on your needs. Access to Work may help with specialist equipment, assistive software, support workers such as BSL interpreters or job coaches, disability-related travel costs, vehicle adaptations and physical changes to a workplace. Scope also explains that Access to Work can help with support such as BSL interpreters, extra transport costs and specialist equipment (https://www.scope.org.uk/advice-and-support/access-to-work-grant-scheme).

The grant does not need to be paid back and will not affect your other benefits. It is separate from disability benefits such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Adult Disability Payment or Disability Living Allowance (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/access-to-work-factsheet/access-to-work-factsheet-for-customers).

Access to Work does not replace your employer’s legal duty to make reasonable adjustments. Employers must make reasonable adjustments so disabled workers, or workers with physical or mental health conditions, are not substantially disadvantaged when doing their jobs (https://www.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments-for-disabled-workers).

Purpl Tip: Before you apply, write down the specific work tasks you struggle with, what support helps, how often you need it and what would happen at work without it. This can make your application clearer.

What has changed with the Access to Work cap?

The main change is that the maximum annual Access to Work grant has stayed at the same level for two further financial years.

The official Access to Work factsheet confirms that the annual cap is £69,260. The cap first reached this level in April 2024 and has remained unchanged throughout the 2025/26 and 2026/27 financial years.

This means the cap has not increased for 2025/26 or 2026/27 after reaching £69,260 in April 2024.

Recent reporting by Disability News Service highlighted that the same cap now appears for 2025/26 and 2026/27, and that the update to the official guidance was not widely announced when the figures were added (https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/labour-ministers-secretly-imposed-access-to-work-cut-last-year-dwp-update-quietly-reveals/).

The cap itself has not been reduced in cash terms. The issue is that if the cost of interpreters, support workers, travel or other approved support rises, the same yearly amount may buy fewer hours of help.

Purpl Insight: A frozen cap can still feel like a cut if the support you need costs more each year.

Why this matters for disabled people

Access to Work is not a “nice extra”. For many disabled workers, it is the support that makes paid work possible, safe and sustainable.

This matters because disabled people already face higher day-to-day costs. Scope’s 2025 Disability Price Tag research says disabled households need an extra £1,095 each month on average to have the same standard of living as non-disabled households (https://www.scope.org.uk/campaigns/disability-price-tag). When workplace support also becomes harder to stretch, disabled people can face pressure from both sides, higher living costs and less support capacity at work.

For some people, the impact may be very direct. RNID has shared examples of Deaf workers who rely on British Sign Language interpreters and worry that a cap limits the number of interpreter hours they can use, especially as interpreter fees rise over time (https://rnid.org.uk/2026/04/access-to-work-cap-without-an-interpreter-i-struggle-significantly/).

If you only need low-cost equipment or occasional support, you may never come close to the cap. If you need regular support workers, frequent BSL interpretation, travel support or help across a full-time role, the cap can become a much bigger issue.

Purpl Insight: Workplace access is part of disability equality. When support does not keep pace with real costs, disabled people can lose hours, confidence, opportunities and independence.

Who is most affected by the Access to Work cap?

The cap is most likely to affect disabled people with higher, regular or complex support needs. This may include:

Deaf people who rely on BSL interpreters for meetings, phone calls, training, supervision or client work
people who need a support worker for large parts of the working week
people who need regular job coaching, travel support or practical help at work
people in senior, public-facing, communication-heavy or meeting-heavy roles
disabled people whose role involves travel, events, training or hybrid working
self-employed disabled people who need consistent support to run their business

The impact also depends on hourly rates, working patterns and how support is agreed. Two people with the same condition may have very different support needs, so it is important not to assume that diagnosis alone explains whether someone will be affected.

Purpl Tip: If your support package is high-cost, ask your provider or support worker to help you estimate the annual cost before the year begins. That gives you more time to plan, review and talk to Access to Work if the numbers do not add up.

What this could mean in practice

If your support needs are high, the frozen cap may mean you reach your annual funding limit earlier than expected. You may need to reduce support hours, change how support is used, ask for a review or have earlier conversations with your employer about reasonable adjustments and workplace planning.

If you need extra support but have reached or nearly reached the maximum amount of your award, you should speak to your Access to Work case manager. The official guidance says you can continue to get a grant of up to £69,260 a year, and if you have not spent all of your award, your case manager can work with you to agree how to use the remaining money.

Employer contributions can also be confusing. The employer factsheet explains that an employer may need to share costs if the person has been working for them for more than 6 weeks when they apply, but cost-sharing only applies to special aids and equipment, or adaptations to premises or equipment. Access to Work can consider paying up to 100% for support workers, additional travel to work and travel in work, and communication support at interviews (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/access-to-work-guide-for-employers/access-to-work-factsheet-for-employers).

This means you should not assume your employer must automatically pay towards every type of support. But your employer still has a legal duty to consider reasonable adjustments, and those duties sit alongside Access to Work rather than disappearing because a grant exists.

Purpl Tip: Keep Access to Work, reasonable adjustments and employer contributions as three separate conversations. They overlap, but they are not the same thing.

Access to Work delays and backlogs

The cap freeze is not the only concern. Delays and backlogs have also affected disabled people who need support to start or stay in work.

The National Audit Office reported that Access to Work applications more than doubled from 76,100 in 2018/19 to 157,000 in 2024/25. It also said the average time taken to process applications rose from 28 days in 2020/21 to 66 days in 2024/25, reaching 109 days in November 2025 (https://www.nao.org.uk/press-releases/processing-delays-and-backlogs-in-access-to-work-affect-job-security-and-employer-finances/).

On 19 May 2026, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions told Parliament that there was a backlog of around 57,000 cases awaiting a decision beyond expected timescales, and said the Government would recruit 480 additional case staff (https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-05-19/HCWS34). The Department for Work and Pensions also announced that nearly 500 additional staff would be recruited, and said 96% of urgent start-date cases were being decided within 28 days.

Scope’s Access to Work guidance also warns that it is receiving reports of delays in processing applications and renewals.

Purpl Insight: Delays can create real stress. If you are waiting for support, keep written records of dates, calls, emails, costs and any impact on your work, because this can help if you need to chase, escalate or complain.

What you can do now

If you use Access to Work, or think you may need it, the most helpful step is to plan early. You may be eligible if you are in paid work, or about to start or return to paid work in the next 12 weeks, and you live and work, or are about to work, in England, Scotland or Wales (https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work/eligibility).

Apply as early as you can

Apply once you have the information you need, such as your workplace details, how your condition affects your work and the support you think you need. You can apply online or by phone (https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work/apply).

Review your support package before renewal

If your current support costs have increased, gather updated quotes, invoices, hourly rates and a clear explanation of why the support is still needed.

Track your support use through the year

Keep a simple monthly record of hours used, costs claimed, support gaps and any work you could not do because support was unavailable.

Speak to your employer early

Talk about reasonable adjustments, workload, meetings, communication access, travel and any gaps that may appear if funding does not stretch across the year.

Ask for a review if your needs change

If your role, hours, location, condition or support needs change, contact Access to Work. Scope says Access to Work funding is reviewed after 3 years or if your condition changes, and official guidance explains that changes can affect your award.

Get advice if something feels wrong

Scope, RNID, Disability Rights UK, Citizens Advice and disabled-led groups may be able to help you understand your options. This can help if you face delays, receive a reduced support package or have uncertainty about employer contributions.

Purpl Tip: Create a folder for your Access to Work evidence. Include award letters, renewal dates, quotes, invoices, emails, support logs and notes from calls. Future you will be very grateful.

Where to apply or get help

You can apply for Access to Work online or by phone through GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work/apply).

Read the main GOV.UK Access to Work guide here: https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work

You can read Scope’s Access to Work guidance here: https://www.scope.org.uk/advice-and-support/access-to-work-grant-scheme

If you live in Northern Ireland, Access to Work (NI) has a separate system through nidirect: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/access-work-ni-practical-help-work

Purpl also has a guide to applying for Access to Work here: https://www.purpldiscounts.com/blog/how-to-apply-for-access-to-work-disabled-people-in-work

Purpl Tip: Save the official GOV.UK application page and your Access to Work reference number somewhere easy to find. It can make chasing or renewing much less stressful.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the Access to Work cap freeze

What is the Access to Work cap in 2026?

The Access to Work cap is £69,260 a year for grants awarded or reviewed from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. The same amount also applies for 2025/26 and for grants awarded or reviewed from 8 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.

Has the Access to Work cap been cut?

The cap has not been cut in cash terms. It remains £69,260. The concern is that it has not increased for 2025/26 or 2026/27, so if support costs rise, the same cap may cover fewer hours or less support.

Who is most likely to be affected by the frozen Access to Work cap?

People with high or ongoing support costs are most likely to feel the impact. This can include Deaf people who need regular BSL interpreters, disabled workers who need support workers for much of the week, people with high travel support costs and people in roles with frequent meetings, communication or travel.

Can my employer be asked to pay towards Access to Work support?

Sometimes. An employer may need to share costs if the employee has worked for them for more than 6 weeks when they apply, but this cost-sharing applies to special aids and equipment, or adaptations to premises or equipment. It does not apply in the same way to support workers, additional travel to work and communication support at interviews.

Can I apply for Access to Work before I start a job?

Yes, you can apply if you are about to start or return to paid work in the next 12 weeks and meet the other eligibility rules. You must have a physical or mental health condition or disability that means you need support to do your job or get to and from work, be 16 or over, and live and work, or be about to work, in England, Scotland or Wales.

Does Access to Work affect PIP or other benefits?

No. An Access to Work grant does not need to be paid back and will not affect your other benefits.

Can I appeal an Access to Work award decision?

It is not possible to appeal against the level of an Access to Work award, because awards are decided case by case. However, the scheme has a reconsideration policy, so you can ask for the decision to be looked at again by a different Access to Work case manager.

Is Access to Work available in Northern Ireland?

The Access to Work scheme covered by GOV.UK applies to England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland has a separate Access to Work (NI) scheme through nidirect, which can help disabled people who want to take up work or who are in work and need disability-related support.

In summary

The Access to Work scheme is still available, and it remains one of the most important forms of employment support for disabled people and people with long-term health conditions.

The issue is that the annual cap has stayed at £69,260 for 2025/26 and 2026/27. For people with lower-cost support needs, this may not make much difference. For disabled workers with high ongoing support costs, it may mean the same grant covers less support over the year.

Apply early, keep records, ask for reviews when your needs change and speak to your employer about reasonable adjustments before a support gap becomes a crisis.

Purpl Insight: Disabled people should not have to shrink their careers to fit a frozen support cap. The earlier you plan, the more options you may have.

About the author

Georgina is the Founder of Purpl, a disabled-led money-saving platform created to help disabled people, people with long-term health conditions, parents and carers reduce the extra costs of disability. Georgina lives with MS and ADHD, and built Purpl after seeing how often disabled people are excluded from mainstream savings, discounts and practical support. Purpl exists to make life more affordable, more accessible and more supportive for the disabled community.

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