Support for and by disabled staff in the university

NADSN

NADSN published their Towards a fully inclusive environment for disabled people in STEMM: A NADSN White Paper in March 2025. This ground-breaking paper was launched on 17th September 2025 at the Wellcome Trust offices in London. The paper outlines a number of urgent recommendations for universities to ensure that the full potential of disabled people are realised in the STEMM subject. NADSN has many resources on their website. This includes materials from a number of conferences - bringing together disabled academics and professional series colleagues - and given many presentations and produced various materials: 

You can find some of NADSN's resources in the links below:

• NADSN conference 2024, presentations, literature,  

• NADSN Conference held pre-covid in Manchester in 2019, 

• NADSN’s post-lockdown position paper 

• while NADSN members have also been involved in this fabulous film and project Marginalisation in Science: Disabilty and Inclusion

• NADSN has also collaborated with colleagues at the Berkeley Centre (University of Queensland) delivered in October 2025 Making Universities more inclusive for Staff with Disabilities - check out the flyer here and website here

WAARC working with NADSN

• Members of the WAARC team are working in collaboration with National Association of Disabled Staff Networks to realise their aspirations in relation to two wider community projects that seek to enhance the work experiences of disabled academics and professional services colleagues

• RIDE Higher (Realising the Inclusion of Disabled Staff) is an initiative established by and for disabled staff in Higher Education - which feeds directly upon the activities of the Cross-cutting theme led by Élaina Gauthier-Mamaril.

• Access to Work Users Sub-Group - led by Armineh Soorenian - This NADSN subgroup is for Disabled staff who receive Access to Work (AtW) support, such as Support Workers, equipment, or assistive tech. It offers monthly peer support meetings and will contribute to NADSN’s response to the UK Government’s AtW consultation. This work has come directly out of Armineh and Kirsty Liddiard's work on WAARC's Priority Area 1: Environments. Armineh's recent paper presented at the 2026 Disability Studies Conference in Leeds can be found below on this page.

• Liz Dew and Armineh Soorenian were invited by the University of Leeds to present a keynote address - Reimagining Research Culture, Together - at the Research Culture Community of Practice Event 2025 (Leeds, 14th July 2025). In this paper the significant contributions of professional services colleagues to the promotion of positive research culture is highlighted and these contributions are taken further in this paper by Liz in collaboration with colleagues Rhea and Lucy Dunning in their popular recent paper presented as part of of the Disability Matters Online Symposia Series

Soorenian, A. (2026). National Association of Disabled Staff Networks’ Access to Work Users’ Subgroup: Our Current Work and Future Aspirations. Paper presented at the 2026 Disability Studies Conference, University of Leeds, April 2026.

I will start my presentation today by describing the intended role of Access to Work (or AtW) in enabling Disabled people to access and participate in employment and fulfil their job roles. To highlight the impetus to set up the National Association of Disabled Staff Networks’ (NADSN) AtW Users’ subgroup, I will discuss some barriers to applying and using the scheme that our participants in the Wellcome Anti-Ableist Research Culture (WAARC) project identified. I will then move onto talking about the subgroup, about our aims and objectives and the activities to date. I will conclude the presentation by outlining the challenges we have faced as a subgroup, as well as our hopes and aspirations as we continue with the work.     

Why Do We Need Access to Work (AtW)?

Disabled people face multiple barriers in obtaining and maintaining employment, demonstrated by the stark gap between the employment rates of Disabled and non-disabled people: in 2024, Disabled people in the UK were more than twice as likely as non-disabled people to be unemployed (6.9% versus 3.6%) (DWP, 2025b). Disabled people’s career paths are often more precarious and unpredictable because of a range of factors, including: the inaccessibility of public transport, physical work environments and digital spaces; inflexible working practices; employers’ and colleagues’ negative perceptions; as well as other ableist and disablist barriers in recruitment and employment. 

Successive governments have faced challenges in introducing various disability employment schemes aimed at closing the disability employment gap, which has become highly politicised. Today, there is still a 30% difference in employment rates between Disabled and non-disabled people (ONS, 2026). 

What is Access to Work (AtW)?

Introduced in 1994, AtW is a publicly funded employment support programme which aims to support Disabled people start, stay in work, move into self-employment or start a business by providing partial or full grants where needs go beyond the reasonable adjustments that employers are required to make under the Equality Act 2010 (DWP, 2025a). AtW is considered to be a crucial tool in reducing ‘inequalities in employment outcomes by providing advice and practical support for individuals with health conditions that make it hard to do their job or to get to or from work.’ (Adams et al., 2018). 

In short, AtW intends to provide practical and financial support for Disabled staff aged 16 years or over, based in England, Scotland or Wales and who are in a paid job (including self-employment, an apprenticeship, work trial, work experience or an internship), or are about to start or return to one (DWP, 2025a).

What Can AtW Cover?

AtW can be paid to cover the following examples of support, as presented by the government webpage for AtW (DWP, 2025a): 

• Aid and equipment in the workplace
• Adapting equipment to make it easier for Disabled staff to use
• Money towards any extra travel costs to and from work if Disabled staff cannot use available public transport
• Money towards any extra travel costs for travel costs within work
• An interpreter or other support at a job interview where there are difficulties in communicating
• A wide variety of Support Workers
• The AtW Mental Health Support Service

In some cases, the employer may be responsible for some of the costs of a Disabled employee’s claim. However, Disabled employees do not have to pay back the funds, and AtW funding does not affect their other benefits.

Access to Work Funding

The Department for Work and Pensions (2026) reported that, during 2024 to 2025, £321m was spent on the programme, which supported 74,200 people. Through analysis of DWP data, The Disability Policy Centre (2026) showed that strong demand corresponded with a 76% increase in the number of recipients since (2019-20), yet the number of approvals fell in 2024-25 (Veerappan, 2026). Over 62,000 applications remained waiting to be processed and there are over 32,000 outstanding payments, delays which are placing Disabled people and their employers under financial strain and distress (NAO, 2026) The Access to Work Collective (2025) also recorded reduced or inconsistent awarding of funds, suggesting Disabled people were losing vital support needed to stay in work, being made to close businesses, and forced to work in an inaccessible system, resulting in unsatisfactory work outcomes. The Disability Policy Centre (2026) stated that without the scheme higher levels of workforce exit is predictable, leading to increased welfare costs and greater demand on NHS services (Veerappan, 2026). I will contextualise these insights by exploring some of the barriers our participants reported having experienced in their interviews for the WAARC project.

WAARC’s Findings on Access to Work 

WAARC

The WAARC project was set up to bring together researchers at all career stages, professional service colleagues from across the University of Sheffield and our partner organisations – including NADSN – with the goal of developing a suite of activities that centred disability and contested systemic ableism. I led Priority Area 1, Environment, which focused on the experiences of Disabled staff at the Recruitment and Employment stages. The exploration of experiences relating to AtW formed a key part of this priority area. Here I will share some of the key findings.

Experiences of Access to Work

In general, uptake of AtW scheme amongst participants appeared low and awareness of the scheme was variable. Most participants had heard about the scheme and thought it would be advantageous to them, but others were unsure about the extent of the available support and the helpfulness of the scheme for their individual needs. This led them to question their eligibility. Uncertainties some participants had about their eligibility for support influenced how confident they felt disclosing their impairments at work and determined the levels of disclosure. 

Barriers in Applying and Using Access to Work

Specific information on what AtW could support with, as well as details about assessment processes and timelines, were missing. Participants reported that they had only a limited understanding of AtW at the point of application – this sometimes resulted in key deadlines being missed. The initial online application process was generally considered to be accessible, although the need for alternative application formats was still viewed as important.

The rest of the AtW application process – that which followed the completion of the online form – was complicated and protracted, with participants reporting having poor comprehensions of the overall process. Waiting times were not outlined clearly, and the time taken for AtW support to come through – as well as the emotional labour that the entire process demanded – sometimes exacerbated participants’ anxiety. Not a single participant reported having been contacted by their caseworker while waiting to hear back about the outcome of their application. There was little continuity in who they spoke to, demonstrating a pronounced lack of “organisational memory”. Claiming back money for AtW-funded support proved to be complex and onerous. 

Participants had contrasting experiences of their institutions providing support with applying for AtW. Some felt supported while the responsibility of the entire AtW process fell solely on others. This caused anxiety and stress.

Other barriers included the generic nature and the unsuitability of AtW recommended adjustments for participants’ specific needs, such as how they did not have the licence to use specific software on their university-provided computers.

Ways to Improve Access to Work

Instead of gradually eroding resources, whether through inaccessible systems, delaying AtW processes or grant reductions, participants thought that if the government provides the investment AtW needs to improve the scheme – that is, made more streamlined and easier to navigate – then AtW could become a valuable service with the potential to transform Disabled people’s experiences of work and help them being sustained in employment. One participant recognised that without AtW support, there would have been six months or even longer of not being able to work, or they would have ended up doing reduced hours, and would have had to renegotiate to a part-time job. For this participant, AtW support was essential and invaluable. 

To improve AtW provision, participants made some recommendations, including the following general ones for AtW: 

• Produce a step-by-step guide describing the different parts of the application process, the expected timelines and who is responsible at each stage. Our participants demonstrated a desire for clear information on what to expect – from the initial application through to the reimbursement stage.
• Have a dedicated AtW case worker, who is knowledgeable about the applicants’ field of work and how their impairments may interact with barriers at work, to guide the applicant through the application and assessment processes – with regular check-ins to ensure that any concerns are addressed and that adjustments are working effectively.
• Universities should adopt a proactive – rather than reactive – approach to AtW, channelling resources to properly support accessing and drawing upon this support.

The NADSN AtW Users’ Subgroup

How the Subgroup Began

Being a Disabled researcher myself, while I was reading through previous literature to develop discussion topics and research questions for WAARC interviews, I identified strongly with the range of barriers (including long waiting times and inaccessible application process) highlighted by previous studies. In addition, our participants’ experiences matched my own, personal story, as someone with “complex needs” and having worked in different sectors. I also heard many related stories while participating in different disability communities. 

It was then when I contacted National Association of Disabled Staff Networks’ (NADSN) directors and proposed setting up the subgroup. NADSN is a powerful ‘collaborative network that connects and represents disabled staff networks, providing a platform for sharing experiences and best practices, and for exploring challenges and opportunities’ (NADSN, 2026). While NADSN is focused on the tertiary education sector, including universities and colleges, we also ‘welcome individuals and organisations from all sectors – public, private, social, and voluntary – who are committed to advancing equality for disabled staff’ (NADSN, 2026). I was delighted when the directors of NADSN welcomed my idea and we began to hold conversations about the subgroup.   

Our aims and objectives 

In proposing the subgroup, we had two aims.

Aim 1: To address the barriers Disabled staff who use AtW face in the ableist academia

We work towards this aim by raising awareness of the experiences of Disabled staff who use AtW-funded support by: 

• Writing about our shared lived experiences of using AtW support 
• Presenting reflections of our shared lived experiences of using AtW support at accessible events 
• Influencing HE sector policy around the implementation of AtW funds, to standardise the recruitment, training and managing of Support Workers 
• Linking with existing groups in the field, such as Direct Payment user groups and relevant DPOs – like DRUK – to share tips and good practice 

Aim 2: Offer peer support 

We recommended creating opportunities to meet and share by:

• Providing a community of care in which to share experiences and learn from each other about how to engage with Support Workers at work 
• Arranging monthly supportive and caring meetings – at a suitable time for all of us – to discuss such topics as:
  • Our individual, day-to-day experiences of working with Support Workers at work 
  • Applying for AtW funds – applications, processes and outcomes 
  • Implementing AtW funds for Support Workers in individual universities 
  • Support Worker recruitment issues
  • Intersectionality issues and AtW experience 

Our Activities, To Date 

As a subgroup, we have been active for about a year. In this time, we have developed an email list of staff who have a keen interest in AtW. We keep in touch regularly with our members to share updates and news. Our monthly meetings have provided opportunities to meet and share our experiences. For example, we have talked about inclusive ways of working with our Support Workers, in our work environment, to ensure our needs are being met and, at the same time, our Support Workers feel valued and appreciated. We have started to provide quarterly updates for the wider NADSN membership about what we have been up to. We have made links with other similar groups to ours, such as the Access to Work Collective, who will be sharing some of their work with us in future meetings. We hope to have opportunities to collaborate with this and similar groups. To inform and impact policy we have, as a subgroup, responded to the UK Government’s “Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working” Green Paper. Working on the response together was an excellent example of collaboration within our subgroup – one that I feel is noteworthy to share.

Challenges and Hopes 

The subgroup has attracted Disabled members with strong personal commitments to equality issues in HE and with impressive records of disability advocacy and activism. Our discussions are often insightful and thought provoking. However, we recognise that dedicating time for all that we want to do and achieve is difficult in neoliberal, ableist university settings driven solely by ambition and personal success. As a group of volunteers, time and capacity have been stark barriers to doing what we planned to do. 

Still, we believe that we are stronger together. Having more members could enable us to do much more and make more positive changes in the lives of current AtW users new and old. We hope to support new Disabled applicants through the provision of mentoring opportunities, the production of resources about AtW processes and even the creation of an FAQ document about AtW procedures and producing a training toolkit for AtW funded Support Workers in academia.  

Conclusion/Get in Touch

If you are interested in joining us and making the subgroup stronger, we would love for you to get in touch and, together, we can have a greater impact. This work is presently – and continually – relevant because it demonstrates how collective action by Disabled staff can influence policy, improve workplace accessibility and create sustainable peer support networks – essential elements in advancing the ongoing struggle for genuine inclusion and celebration of disability in HE. 

References 

Access to Work Collective. (2025) Written evidence submitted by the Access to Work Collective. Available at: https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/148530/pdf/. (Accessed: 8 April 2026).

Adams, L., Tindle, A., Downing, C., Morrice, N. and Domingos, M. (2018) Access to Work: Qualitative research with applicants, employers and delivery staff (IFF Research) Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5bed417540f0b667b8089f6c/access-to-work-qualitative-research-with-applicants-employers-and-delivery-staff.pdf (Accessed: 8 April 2026).

DWP, Department for Work and Pensions. (2025a) Guidance Access to Work factsheet for employers. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/access-to-work-guide-for-employers/access-to-work-factsheet-for-employers (Accessed: 8 April 2026).

DWP, Department for Work and Pensions. (2025b) The employment of disabled people 2024. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/the-employment-of-disabled-people-2024/the-employment-of-disabled-people-2024#:~:text=the%20disability%20unemployment%20rate%20was%206.9%25%20in%C2%A0Q2%C2%A02024%2C%20compared%20to%203.6%25%20for%20non%2Ddisabled%20people.%20For%20disabled%20people%2C%20this%20is%20a%20decrease%20of%200.3%20percentage%20points%20from%20last%20year%20(this%20change%20was%20not%20statistically%20significant) (Accessed: 27 February 2026). 

DWP, Department for Work and Pensions (2026) Access to Work statistics: April 2007 to March 2025. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/access-towork-statistics-april-2007-to-march-2025. (Accessed: 8 April 2026). 

NADSN, National Association of Disabled Staff Networks. (2026) About Us. Available at: https://www.nadsn-uk.org/ (Accessed: 8 April 2026).

NAO, National Audit Office (2026) The Access to Work scheme. Available at: https://www.nao.org.uk/reports/theaccess-to-work-scheme/. (Accessed: 8 April 2026).

 ONS, Office for National Statistics. (2026). A08: Labour market status of disabled people. Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/datasets/labourmarketstatusofdisabledpeoplea08 (Accessed: 8 April 2026).

Veerappan, A. (2026) Access to Work: Employment that Works. The Disability Policy Centre. Available at: * (Accessed: 8 April 2026).