Journeys to Access to Work

This study seeks to better understand individuals’ experiences of the Department for Work and Pension’s (DWP) Access to Work scheme.

What is the research about?

Access to Work is a DWP scheme which provides funding to employees and their employers for support to access or remain in work. The DWP is interested in learning more about how people find out about the scheme, their experiences of applying and of the support provided. As part of this research, we are inviting individuals with experience of Access to Work to take part in interviews about their experiences.

Who is carrying out the research?

The DWP has commissioned the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen), an independent research organisation, to carry out this research. NatCen is the UK’s largest independent social research agency. For 50 years, we have been working with charities and government to find out what people really think about the big issues. NatCen is independent of all government departments and political parties.

Why have I been contacted about the research?

You may have received a text message or email from us to let you know about the research and that we may be in touch. Records held by DWP show that you applied to the Access to Work scheme during or after November 2022. You have been selected at random from among all applicants during this time. The DWP want to learn more about your experiences.

You may receive a follow up call from NatCen to check if you are interested in taking part in the research and to schedule an interview. We will call from a number beginning with 01277. If you need us to contact you in another way (for example if you require a BSL interpreter), please let us know by email at AtWstudy@natcen.ac.uk. Unfortunately, we are unable to include all of those initially selected.

Why take part?

Taking part will provide important information on the experiences of people applying for Access to Work. We really value your views and input. It will help DWP to better understand how people use the scheme and what further support is needed. As a thank you for taking part, you will receive a £40 shopping voucher that you can spend in many high street shops. This will not affect your benefits now or at any time in the future.

What will it involve?

You may be invited to take part in an interview with a NatCen researcher. Interviews will last up to 45 minutes and will take place between August and December 2025. These will take place by telephone or online video call at a time chosen by you. In-person interviews can be arranged at your request.

During the interview we will ask you about:

  • Your health and work at the moment.
  • How you found out about Access to Work and decided to apply.
  • Your experience of applying.
  • If relevant, your experience of the support you received.
  • Any improvements you feel could be made.

There are no right or wrong answers, and you do not need to prepare anything in advance, we just want to hear about your views and experiences.

With your consent, we will audio record the interview. Recordings will be stored securely and deleted at the end of the project. For further information on how we will use your data, please see the privacy notice.

We will also interview a number of employers about their experiences of the scheme, however we will not discuss specific employees’ circumstances.

Do I have to take part?

Taking part is completely voluntary. If you agree to attend an interview, you can withdraw at any time, and you do not have to give a reason. You may also choose not to answer any of the questions you do not wish to discuss. After completing an interview, you can withdraw any time up until analysis of the data.

Please contact NatCen either by phone on 0808 168 1356 or by email at AtWstudy@natcen.ac.uk if you would prefer not to be contacted again for this research. In both instances, please state your name, the project number P20431, and the reference number from our email or text. Phone lines are open 9am until 8pm Monday to Thursday, 9am until 5pm on Friday, and 10am until 3pm on Saturday.

If you are receiving benefits, your decision whether to take part will not affect your benefits, either now or at any time in the future.

Can I have special arrangements?

Yes. When we contact you to schedule the interview, we will ask if you require special arrangements. This includes, for example, if you want to take regular breaks, see a list of the topics to be discussed beforehand, have someone with you during the interview or to use live closed captioning (i.e. subtitles) to help you follow the discussion.

Our researchers will be aware of your requirements beforehand. However, we will also ask you at the start of the interview whether there is anything else you need. If there is anything else we can do to help you participate, please let us know as soon as possible.

What will happen to the information I give?

Everything you say in the interview will remain anonymous in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). This means we will not tell anyone that you have taken part in the study or what you specifically have said.

The only exception is if you talk about something which we believe puts you or another person at significant risk of harm. In that case, we will have to seek advice from senior colleagues at our workplace who are specially trained. They will decide on the next steps, which could include contacting the relevant authorities or taking no action. We will always try to discuss this with you first.

With your permission, we will audio-record the interview so that nothing you say is forgotten. The recording will be stored securely and will be destroyed 6 months after the research is complete. We will use the information from the interviews to write a report for DWP. It will not be possible to identify any individuals in the report.

For more information on how your data will be used, visit the privacy notice.

How do I know this research is genuine?

You can check the authenticity of this research by contacting DWP at Research.JourneysAtW@dwp.gov.uk

You can also contact the Access to Work helpline:

Telephone: 0800 121 7479
Textphone: 0800 121 7579

Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 121 7479

British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet.

Open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Find out about call charges

You can find out more about DWP’s research programme here: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/about/research

This research is listed under “NatCen – Journeys to Access to Work” on their website here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/current-dwp-research-in-the-field-undertaken-by-external-organisations 

Contact us

You can also contact NatCen’s research team to ask any questions about the study. Please contact us on AtWstudy@natcen.ac.uk or call us for free on 0808 168 1356.