At RNID, we want everyone who is deaf, has hearing loss or tinnitus to have the support and opportunities they need to thrive in work. Yet only 37% of working‑age British Sign Language (BSL) users are in employment, compared to 77% of people who are not disabled.
We believe the Government must do more to close this gap.
Teri Devine, RNID Associate Director of Inclusion and Employment, sets out why urgent changes to Access to Work are needed to ensure that people who are deaf or have hearing loss can succeed in employment.
What is Access to Work?
Access to Work is a vital government programme that enables equal access to employment for deaf people and people with hearing loss by funding adjustments not covered by the reasonable adjustment provisions under the Equality Act – such as communication support or assistive devices.
We work closely with government to influence employment policy and ensure services meet the needs of our communities, including the Access to Work scheme.
Why Access to Work matters
Deaf people and people with hearing loss represent one of the largest user groups of Access to Work and receive the highest level of expenditure, mostly due to the high cost of registered sign language interpreters.
We’ve heard from many people who would be unable to work without the support the scheme provides.
What deaf people are experiencing
To better understand people’s real experiences of Access to Work, we ran a recent survey in partnership with DeafATW.
Initial findings show that many people who have received a decision from Access to Work about their application, review or change of circumstances request waited four months or more for that decision.
Delays in receiving awards had a significant impact on deaf people and people with hearing loss. Some told us they lost a job opportunity or received disciplinary action while waiting for their award. Others reported that they did not receive the award before their probation ended and did not pass probation as a result.
Many respondents also felt their communication needs were ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ met during their application, renewal or change of circumstances request.
What impact does this have?
The current delivery of Access to Work is letting down people who are deaf or have hearing loss who rely on the scheme to participate fully in employment.
Long delays, inaccessible processes and outdated systems mean people are being left without essential communication support, such as BSL interpreters or speech-to-text-reporters (STTRs), during critical periods like probation, putting jobs and progression at risk.
Poor communication, limited accessible contact routes and inconsistent decision making have eroded trust among users who depend on timely, tailored adjustments to do their jobs effectively.
Delays and backlog
The Government’s manifesto commitments included tackling the backlog of Access to Work claims, and it has acknowledged continued delays in processing applications and payments.
The Pathways to Work Green Paper proposed reforms to the scheme, which were followed by a public consultation and the creation of Collaboration Committees to gather feedback. RNID participated in the Committee that looked at changes to Access to Work.
National Audit Office investigation
In 2025, the National Audit Office (NAO) announced an investigation into the delivery of Access to Work and the operational challenges within the scheme.
We provided evidence to the NAO on the issues faced by deaf people and people with hearing loss who use Access to Work, including:
- long delays in processing applications and payments
- a lack of deaf awareness among Access to Work staff
- inaccessible and outdated systems
What the investigation found
The NAO’s report, published on 6 February 2026, confirmed that long processing delays and large backlogs in both applications and payments are causing serious problems for disabled people and their employers.
Poor communication and late payments are putting people’s job security at risk and discouraging employers from recruiting inclusively.
The report also noted that many people have had their awards reduced since 2024, even though nothing had changed in their circumstances.
It also highlighted a lack of evidence and data to help Access to Work manage operational issues or make informed decisions about reform.
Why reform is essential
Access to Work must:
- modernise its operations to clear the existing backlog
- streamline its processes
- ensure information is accessible
- set expectations with clear communications
- provide case managers with guidance that reflects the purpose of the scheme, so decisions are consistent and based on deaf peoples lived experience
- invest in better data and evidence to understand the impact of Access to Work and plan reform effectively
We are calling on the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to work with deaf and disabled people, so their lived experience informs the guidance used by case managers. This would help ensure decisions are consistent, reflect people’s communication needs, and lead to accurate awards that provide the support deaf people need in the workplace.
Access to Work also needs capital investment in a modern, fit‑for‑purpose IT system that can handle demand, improve case management and provide accessible, reliable communication routes for deaf people and people with hearing loss.
Only with a fully modernised, responsive service can deaf people receive the timely support they need to work, thrive, and remain included in the labour market.
What happens next
The Public Accounts Committee will now consider the NAO’s report and recommendations, alongside its own call for evidence, which closes on 23 February 2026.
We will be submitting further insights to the Public Accounts Committee to advocate for a service that better meets the needs of deaf and deafblind people and people with hearing loss or tinnitus.
