Emily's Fight: Access to Work Cuts Impact Sight-Impaired Journalist

0:00On March 27, Emily Davidson, a 30-year-old side-impaired journalist, relies on the government's access to work program to hold down her. Full-time job. This scheme provides grants for support workers and tools to help disabled people find and keep employment. But in December, her weekly support worker hours were slashed from 37 to just 8, even though her needs haven't changed since she started. Using the program in 2022, she requested a review, but the department for work in pensions of held the decision. Access to work aims to remove workplace barriers for those with physical or mental conditions, yet new applicants now face weights of around 9 months. For approval. Other parts of Emily's grant, by travel funding, remain unchanged. The cuts have forced her to scale back her story assignments, limiting her to less visual tasks in the fast-paced news world. She credits the program with helping her land stable work after years of struggle, despite her degree in experience. Without reliable support, she worries disabled people face a tough choice between jobs and

1:04benefits. Experts at the Royal National Institute of Blind People highlight this as a top issue, with the lays and renewals cuts risking jobs for blind, and partially-sided workers. They urge maintaining support levels during the ongoing review. The department for work in pensions notes no policy changes yet, and says support has nearly doubled in five years. They're consulting disabled groups to fix inherited problems, aiming for a smoother path to employment ahead.