UK GOVERNMENT GREEN PAPER ANNOUNCES 4 TAKEAWAY WINS FOR DISABLED PEOPLE IN ACCESS TO WORK SYSTEM
London, UK – In a recent Green Paper released by the UK government on Wednesday 19 March, 2025, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall announced significant changes to the Access to Work grant system, which supports disabled individuals in the workplace. The paper, which has been long awaited by the disability community, outlines several key improvements that will benefit disabled individuals and their employers.
Dr. Nancy Doyle, Founder of Genius Within CIC, a non-for-profit organisation that promotes neurodiversity inclusion in the workplace, has been advocating for change in the Access to Work system for over a decade. She commented, “The Access to Work system is broken—our community knows it, and we’ve been advocating for change for over a decade. This Green Paper signals a chance to fix a failing system and move towards a more inclusive, effective approach. There is a lot to play for, and we are ambitious for our community—because when disabled people thrive, we all win.”
Genius Within CIC has been working with thousands of neurodivergent individuals every year and has firsthand knowledge of the current system’s shortcomings. They have experienced a system full of red tape, inaccessible processes, and long wait times for approval of Access to Work grants. “We know the system must change, it isn’t serving the community it was first designed to support when it was set up in 1994, and change is something we have been advocating for the last 10 years,” said Dr. Doyle.
The disability community has faced significant challenges in recent years, and the Green Paper’s announcement offers hope and potential solutions. The paper outlines four key takeaways that Genius Within CIC believes will greatly benefit the disabled community:
1. “Right to Try” – This initiative removes the threat of losing financial support for disabled individuals who are trying different employment paths, providing them with more options and opportunities.
2. “More Onus on Employers” – The focus will shift from solely supporting employees to also supporting and educating employers. This change will allow for systemic changes in the workplace and be more cost-effective in the long run.
3. Access to Work System Reform – The Green Paper acknowledges that the current system is broken and invites input from stakeholders to provide feedback and suggestions for improvement. This is a positive step towards a more inclusive and effective system.
4. One Billion Allocated for Disability Employability Support – The government has committed a significant investment in supporting long-term unemployed individuals, providing much-needed resources and opportunities for those who have been marginalized.
Jacqui Wallis, CEO of Genius Within CIC, stated, “On balance, research indicates that good work, where possible, is beneficial to health, wellbeing, and social identity. Now there are a lot of caveats in this paper, the potential for both improvement and harm, but accessibility and participation could make the difference we seek.”
Genius Within CIC is optimistic about the potential impact of the changes outlined in the Green Paper and encourages the disability community to contribute to the consultation process. “We are ambitious for our community. We want them to be supported to reach their dreams and meet their potential. Because then we all win,” said Dr. Doyle.
For more information, please contact:
Jacqui Wallis, CEO, Genius Within
Jacqui@Geniuswithin.org
07773 764 974
Dr Nancy Doyle
Nancy@Geniuswithin.org
About Genius Within
Genius Within is a Community Interest Company, a non-for-profit, B-Corp certified organisation, that specialises in promoting neurodiversity inclusion in the workplace since 2011. They promote systemic changes in governments, social systems, and organisations to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for the neurodivergent community.
Founded by Dr Nancy Doyle, Genius Within CIC has worked extensively in the commercial, employability, and criminal justice sectors. They have been instrumental in bringing about positive changes and improved job outcomes for the neurodivergent community. They have also developed innovative approaches, including the Genius Finder™ digital platform, which helps organisations and individuals improve workplace performance by understanding their most common work-related strengths and struggles.
For more information, please visit geniuswithin.org or follow them on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/genius-within-cic.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.