Hundreds of disabled university students are set to benefit from a new ‘passport’ scheme that will support them as they move into work
The Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) Access to Work Adjustment Passport will ease the transition from university into employment by reducing the need for repeated health assessments when starting a new job.
The pilot scheme, announced as part of the National Disability Strategy, is now getting underway at University of Wolverhampton and Manchester Metropolitan University.
Through Access to Work, disabled people can benefit from grants worth up to £62,900 to cover the cost of specialist equipment needed to support them to do their job.
A passport will be offered to students who already receive extra support while studying at university, capturing information about their condition and the adjustments they already benefit from, avoiding repetitive disclosures when it comes to applying for the grant once they start work.
Up to 100 students at each university will be supported through the trial, and thousands more could benefit if the scheme is rolled out across the country.
On International Day of People with Disabilities, Minister for Disabled People Chloe Smith has praised the scheme, which she believes will empower disabled students and those with long term health conditions, as they transition into the workplace.
Minister for Disabled People Chloe Smith said:
The Minister was speaking after a visit to Watford Workshop, a charity that uses the Access to Work scheme and has been providing supported employment, work and life skills training to adults with disabilities since 1964.
Dr Iliyan Stefanov, Head of Student Support and Wellbeing at the University of Wolverhampton, said:
Lyle Millard, Head of Inclusion and Pastoral Services at Manchester Metropolitan University, said:
The Access to Work passport is just one of 100 commitments outlined in the National Disability Strategy, published earlier in July 2021.
The passport is designed to give holders the confidence to have conversations about their disability and adjustments with potential employers, which can otherwise be challenging.
They will also help to raise awareness of the Access to Work scheme and encourage further uptake.
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