The DWP scheme can provide grants worth up to £69,260 a year to disabled workers, but faces scrutiny from experts over awareness and application issues

The DWP has come under scrutiny regarding one of its payment schemes that can be worth several thousands of pounds. Policy experts recently addressed MPs about individuals with a disability or health condition who are struggling to access the support to which they are entitled.

One particular area of concern highlighted was Access to Work. This is a DWP scheme providing grants to assist people with a disability or medical condition in paying for support they require to begin or remain in employment.

The most recent DWP statistics reveal that during the 2024/2025 financial year, grants were distributed to 74,190 customers, with an average annual payment of £4,000. You can actually receive considerably more through the scheme, up to £69,260 annually.

The funding can cover a broad range of items you may require. These can include aids and equipment in your workplace, modifications to equipment, additional travel expenses, an interpreter, or other support you need at a job interview to help you communicate, reports the Mirror.

If you have a mental health condition, the grant funding can also be used towards developing a support plan for you, which can include flexible working arrangements or supplementary training. Those receiving Universal Credit may qualify for the support.

Who could be eligible for Access to Work grants?

Information on the Government website states: “Universal Credit is a single benefit paid to those in or out of employment. If you are claiming Universal Credit and have a disability or health condition, you will be able to apply for Access to Work for any paid work you do.”

Individuals claiming PIP (Personal Independence Payment) may also wish to verify their eligibility. PIP assists with the additional expenses associated with living with a long-term health condition or disability, meaning receipt of this benefit could help demonstrate that you have a qualifying health condition for Access to Work.

Receiving disability benefits is not a requirement to qualify. The guidance cautions that you may not be eligible if you claim one of these benefits:

• Incapacity Benefit
• legacy Employment Support Allowance
• Severe Disablement Allowance
• Income Support paid because of illness
• National Insurance credits.

Despite the substantial grants available, a recent Work and Pensions Committee meeting heard that numerous employers remain unaware of the scheme. Chris Russell, senior policy manager at the Federation of Small Businesses, said awareness of the programme among small business employers is “not high and definitely could be higher”.

He said: “The support that Access to Work provides can often make the difference between them staying in work and leaving the labour market. The main problems I see are the waiting times and the application process. The support that the scheme provides is fantastic, but if the department could address waiting times and do something about the application process, it would be most beneficial because, yes, in general it is a great scheme.”

The specialists also cautioned that some individuals receiving the assistance have seen their grant awards cut. James Taylor, executive director of Strategy, Impact and Social Change at disability charity Scope, recounted the experience of a woman called Jamila, who had previously been using Access to Work to fund taxi journeys and 24 hours per week of support worker assistance.

Following several months off work due to illness, she did not use much of her allocated funding. Consequently, her support worker provision was slashed to eight hours weekly and her taxi allowance was similarly reduced.

Mr Taylor said: “She cannot work without the right level of support. She works in the NHS and does loads of site visits. The reduced funding means she can only go to two sites, but she has to visit up to 50 for her job. She has now handed in her notice. Official or unofficial, that sort of change has an impact on disabled people. These are people who want to be in work, and that is what we are hearing.”

Tom Pollard, head of Policy, Public Affairs and Campaigns at mental health charity Mind, also told the MPs: “I have heard isolated anecdotal evidence of reductions in awards or a more stringent application process. The latest stats that came out last week showed a lower number of approvals compared with last year, but I have not heard anything robust on that.”

Upcoming changes to Access to Work

The most recent figures from the DWP reveal that 56,000 individuals had Access to Work approved in the financial year ending March 2025. This represents a 12 per cent decrease compared to the previous year, when 63,450 people were approved.

A spokesperson for the DWP stated: “Access to Work supports thousands of sick or disabled people to start or stay in work, but the scheme we inherited is failing employees and employers. That’s why we’re working with disabled people and their organisations to improve it – ensuring people have the support, skills, and opportunities to move into good, secure jobs as part of our Plan for Change.”

The DWP announced it is reviewing “all aspects” of the scheme following a consultation which concluded in June 2025. Case managers at the DWP have received additional training to assist them in making better and more consistent decisions about people’s awards.

The group indicated this might mean some award amounts are altered when they are renewed. However, this does not signify a change in the policy of the scheme.

Investigators have discovered a black glove near Nancy Guthrie’s home that looks similar to the one her abductor wore in the chilling doorbell camera footage. 

The item was recovered by detectives about one and a half miles from the 84-year-old’s home on Wednesday, the 10th day into the search for her. 

The Daily Mail understands the lone glove, found lying in a small shrub, was bagged up and taken by authorities. They did not give a definitive answer on who it belonged to. 

On Tuesday, the FBI released shocking footage of a masked man wearing thick latex gloves as he tried to obscure the camera on Nancy’s front porch. That clip was the latest development in the missing persons case in over a week.  

The latest evidence retrieval comes as TMZ received a third ransom note earlier in the day, demanding one Bitcoin in exchange for information on Nancy’s kidnapping. 

Nancy, the beloved mother of Today Show host Savannah Guthrie, was last seen on January 31 after returning home from dinner and a game night with her other daughter, Annie. 

She was reported missing on February 1 after her church friends grew worried when she failed to show up for services. Nancy has not been seen or heard from since. 

TMZ received the fresh note before 5am Pacific Time, and said the correspondence stated the sender has tried unsuccessfully to get in contact with Camron Guthrie, Nancy’s son, and Annie, her eldest daughter.  

A black glove has been found near Nancy Guthrie home in Tucson, Arizona that looks similar to the one the perpetrator wore in the doorbell camera footage

She was reported missing on February 1 after her church friends grew worried when she failed to show up for services. Nancy has not been seen or heard from since

In the message, the sender reportedly said they had information on the identity of the suspect who was seen at Nancy’s $1milion Tucson home the night she vanished.

‘If they want the name of the individual involved then I want 1 Bitcoin to the following wallet. Time is more than relevant,’ the note allegedly read.

The Bitcoin address listed in the note is reportedly legitimate and different from the one in an original ransom note that TMZ and two local news stations in Arizona also received.

TMZ host Harvey Levin appeared on Fox News Channel’s America’s Newsroom earlier on Wednesday to confirm the outlet had received the third letter.

‘An hour and a half ago, we got, kind of a bizarre letter, an email from somebody who says they know who the kidnapper is and that they have tried reaching Savannah’s sister Annie and Savannah’s brother, to no avail,’ he said.

‘And they said they want one Bitcoin sent to a Bitcoin address that we have confirmed is active.

‘It’s a real Bitcoin address, and as they put it, time is more than relevant. So we have no idea whether this is real or not. But they are making a demand,’ he added.

The latest note came after the Pima County Sheriff’s Department detained a man for questioning in connection with Nancy’s disappearance. 

Delivery driver Carlos Palazuelos, the man taken into custody, later declared his innocence and revealed he had been questioned for hours on Tuesday night and into the early hours of Wednesday morning.

On Tuesday, the FBI released shocking footage of a masked man wearing thick latex gloves as he tried to obscure the camera on Nancy’s front porch

It is unclear why police focused on Palazuelos, but it came hours after authorities released the first surveillance images of a suspect seen lurking near Nancy’s home on January 31, the night she was taken.

The suspect was seen in an all black outfit, including a mask, backpack and black gloves. Police have yet to identify who the person in the camera is. 

The device was missing by the time sheriff’s deputies arrived that morning. 

After his release around 1am local time, Palazuelos said he didn’t know about Nancy’s kidnapping. 

‘They told me I was being detained for kidnapping. I asked them, “Kidnapping of who?”,’ he told KNXV after he was set free. 

Federal authorities said they were looking at more than one ‘person of interest’ after receiving a deluge of tips following the release of doorbell camera footage. 

FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News that the bureau’s outreach to the private sector has shown ‘there might be persons of interest in and around the area related to this event.’

Patel did not elaborate on who may be under suspicion, but said authorities were working to eliminate anyone who might not actually be involved.

He added that the agency’s first priority was finding Nancy and ‘right behind that is to find any others involved in this kidnapping case to make sure they’re brought to justice.’ 

The 84-year-old mother has been missing for 10 days now. Police have no one in custody, but said they are investigating persons of interest

Nancy’s $1 million home is seen on Wednesday as police and the FBI continue to investigate her mysterious disappearance 

TMZ is one of three outlets that received alleged ransom notes in connection with Nancy’s abduction. 

Unidentified sources involved in the investigation had earlier told the outlet that officers believe the ransom notes that were sent to the networks were, in fact, written by the kidnapper. 

The notes also reportedly provide clues on where the suspect lives, with sources noting that the person who sent the letters was intimately familiar with the media in Tucson, and included specific references to damage at Nancy’s home and the placement of some of her possessions – details that have not been shared with the public.  

After spending time with her daughter and her husband, Tommaso Cioni, on January 31,  Nancy was driven back home by her son-in-law. 

By 1.47am, Nancy’s doorbell camera was disconnected, with the newly released footage showing the suspect ripping the camera from its holder on the door frame.

Another video released by officials showed the masked individual attempting to cover the lens with a clenched fist, then searching the area around the door, ripping a bunch of flowers from the entranceway, and waving them at the camera.

Less than 30 minutes later, her security camera detected movement. Her pacemaker stopped transmitting data to her Apple Watch and phone shortly afterwards, suggesting she had been taken out of the devices’ range.

Since her disappearance, Savannah and her siblings have taken to social media pleading for their mother’s safe return home. They continue to hold onto hope that she is still out there. 

Keir Starmer has called on Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe to apologise for claiming “the UK is being colonised” by immigrants.

The prime minister said the billionaire’s comments were “offensive and wrong”.

Ratcliffe, who is also the founder and chairman of petrochemical giant Ineos, made his remarks in an interview with Sky News.

He said: “You can’t have an economy with nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in.

“I mean, the UK is being colonised. It’s costing too much money. The UK has been colonised by immigrants.”

Sir Jim added: “If you really want to deal with the major issues of immigration, with people opting to take benefits rather than working for a living, if you want to deal with that, then you are going to have to do some things which are unpopular and show some courage.”

Responding to Ratcliffe’s remarks on X, the prime minister said: “Offensive and wrong. Britain is a proud, tolerant and diverse country. Jim Ratcliffe should apologise.”

A Downing Street spokesperson said: “Jim Ratcliffe should immediately apologise. His offensive remarks are wrong and play into the hands of those who want to divide our country.”

Denver is a step closer to enacting a new law banning all law enforcement officers — including U.S. Immigration and Customs agents — from wearing face coverings while detaining people after a City Council committee advanced the proposed ordinance Wednesday.

The full council is set to take an initial vote on the measure, which isn’t yet finalized, in two weeks.

The proposal would prohibit local, state and federal law enforcement officers from wearing masks and other face coverings while detaining or arresting people. It would also require them to wear visible identification — including their names and badge numbers — or provide ID when asked for it by local officers.

While the new ordinance would apply to all officers, its sponsors, Councilwomen Shontel Lewis and Flor Alvidrez, have made clear it’s directed at ICE operations.

“We are against illegal deportations and folks stealing folks from our communities, as well as murder,” Lewis said during Wednesday’s meeting. “This is intended to be able to slow those down if they happen to come into our city.”

Mayor Mike Johnston’s spokesman indicated he is likely to support the measure once the final language is worked out.

“Law enforcement at any level of government should be held accountable to the public they serve,” spokesman Jon Ewing wrote in an email. “At bare minimum, that means residents have a right to know who is detaining them and why they are doing so. The City Attorney’s Office will work with Council to ensure the bill meets all Constitutional requirements, and at that time it will receive Mayor Johnston’s full support.”

Officers who don’t follow the proposed law could receive a citation carrying a penalty of up to a $99 fine or 300 days in jail. The Denver Police Department would also have the ability to arrest anyone who doesn’t comply.

The measure would allow some exemptions, including for officers involved in undercover operations and SWAT duties or who are wearing religious garb.

ICE agents have begun covering their faces as a common practice, with the agency saying it’s necessary to protect against threats to their safety. Critics of ICE have criticized the coverings as being akin to “secret police” operations.

Other council members showed general support for the idea during the meeting Wednesday, with some asking questions about elements of the bill.

“The devil is in the details and, operationally, we want this to be an ordinance that is passed that can be implemented,” council President Amanda Sandoval said. “I think it’s like 97% there.”

Some members expressed concerns about whether the identification requirements, which include a stipulation that ID be visible at up to 25 feet, are enforceable.

City Attorney Miko Brown suggested during the meeting that the sponsors will have to make some changes to the identification portion of the ordinance to ensure it is constitutional.

“I fully agree and support, in principle, what that section is trying to accomplish,” she said. “I do have concerns from a legal perspective and an operational perspective.”

The sponsors said they would work to address any remaining problems the council or city attorney identifies before the full council votes.

A federal judge struck down a similar masking law in California, stating it was unconstitutional because it exempted state law enforcement officers from the ban, making it discriminatory. The judge upheld a companion law that requires all officers there to display identification.

Lewis said she believed Denver’s law, which contains some of both of those elements, would be upheld under legal scrutiny because it would apply to all levels of law enforcement.

Ontario’s financial watchdog says the province is not currently on a path to balance as spending ticks up and revenue from taxation begins to fall in the face of a cost-of-living crisis.

The Financial Accountability Officer of Ontario found that the provincial government’s budget deficit will increase to $11.1 billion in the 2025-26 year, an increase from the previous year.

The annual deficit will improve to $11.18 billion in the 2026-27 year and slowly improve. While the picture will get better, the FAO found there will still be a deficit of $6.3 billion for the 2029-30 year.

Part of the issue, the watchdog suggests, is that the province’s revenue will fall far below previous years.

The average increase in revenue over the past five years has been 7.6 per cent, according to the FAO. Over the next half-decade, that will drop to an average increase of 2.6 per cent.

“The slowdown in revenue growth reflects the FAO’s expected moderation in economic activity compared to the previous five years,” the report read.

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“Revenue growth over the outlook is also constrained by declines in interest and investment income and international student tuition revenue in the colleges sector.”

2:25
Ontario deficit to explode next year, budget watchdog projects

Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy released figures Tuesday projecting the 2025-26 deficit will be $13.4 billion, higher than the FAO’s suggestion.

He refused to “speculate” on the figures in the upcoming budget when asked if he was still confident Ontario was on a path to balance.

“Ontario continues to navigate a period of global economic and geopolitical uncertainty,” he told reporters. “And in spite of this uncertainty, Ontario’s economy proved to be resilient and continued to grow in 2025.”

The FAO’s report projects employment will increase, with job losses in tariff-hit industries offset by other gains.

“Annual employment growth is projected to slow to 0.3 per cent in 2026 and then improve to 0.9 per cent in 2027 as Ontario’s labour market adjusts to a new global trade environment,” the report said.

“The annual unemployment rate is projected to improve to 7.6 per cent in 2026 and continue to trend down over the remainder of the outlook.”

Ontario NDP MPP Jessica Bell said the government couldn’t hide from the overall unemployment numbers.

“No amount of spin from Minister Bethlenfalvy can hide these staggering unemployment numbers and a record-high provincial debt,” she said in a statement.

“We need a plan that brings significant investments into infrastructure and public services — from schools to hospitals — to strengthen Ontario’s economy and create good jobs.”

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The number of vehicles stolen in Canada fell sharply last year but there were still almost 47,000 such thefts reported and more than a third of those were never recovered, says a new report released Wednesday.

The analysis by Équité Association, a non-profit anti-fraud group, shows Canadians reported 46,999 auto thefts in 2025, compared with 57,359 in 2024 — an 18 per cent decrease.

It’s down 33 per cent compared with 2023 when more than 70,000 vehicles were stolen.

However Équité also said the financial impact of auto thefts remains high, with insurance claims in 2025 reaching an estimated $900 million.

“The good news is we have seen a reduction in the number of vehicles (stolen), but I would say that we still have a long way to go,” said Bryan Gast, vice president of investigative services for Équité Association.

“The numbers are still high. Organized crime is still targeting Canadian vehicles.”

In 2024, the federal government announced a new national action plan to “disrupt, dismantle and prosecute” the organized crime groups behind auto thefts through tougher criminal penalties, more inspections of shipping containers and better intelligence-sharing.

The report says while the strategy appears to be working, Canadians remain vulnerable to car theft rings and a spike in vehicle finance fraud detected at ports in Montreal and Halifax.

Quebec saw the largest reduction in auto thefts — 25 per cent — followed by Ontario at 22 per cent and Western Canada at 11 per cent.

Atlantic Canada saw the smallest reduction — just two per cent. Gast attributes that statistic to the fact that there are simply fewer vehicles in the region to steal — despite the role the Port of Halifax plays in shipping stolen vehicles out of the country.

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While the number of thefts dropped, the rate of recovery for stolen vehicles remains low, the report found, at 59 per cent nationally. In the two biggest provinces, Ontario and Quebec, only about half of the vehicles stolen are ever recovered.

4:40
Canada’s most stolen vehicles

The report says the missing stolen vehicles have likely been exported or dismantled in “chop shops.”

At 71 per cent, Alberta’s rate of stolen vehicle recovery tops those of Quebec and Ontario — but the province continues to serve as a “feeder province” where stolen vehicles from other regions are registered, the report said.

Gast said industry and governments should be working together to make vehicles harder to steal.

He said organized crime groups are employing old tactics — dismantling vehicles to sell for parts, shipping them overseas — and engaging in fraudulent financing that affects banks and insurance companies.

“One of my big concerns beyond the financial loss is what these criminals are doing with these proceeds … $900 million in 2025 is what’s up for grabs,” Gast said.

“This is not just a victimless crime. It’s not just a property crime. They’re profiting from it. They are using the proceeds to fund their criminal operations.”

A House of Commons committee on public safety studied the federal government’s auto strategy and presented it with more than two dozen recommendations.

Responding to that report in January, Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said the federal government agreed with 22 of the committee’s recommendations — including its call for stronger measures against money laundering and terrorist financing, and for more robust intelligence-sharing with law enforcement partners.

Anandasangaree wrote the government agrees in principle with another nine recommendations, is requesting further study of 10 and disagrees with three. One of those is a call for amendments to the Customs Act to change how containers can be searched, and to require that exporters present shipping documents at least 72 hours before departure.

Gast said Canadians can protect their vehicles by parking them in a garage and by using a steering wheel or pedal lock and an aftermarket immobilizer and tracking device.

“You don’t have to use them all, but … you can do something just to make your vehicle less appealing and less of a target,” Gast said.

5:32
306 stolen vehicles recovered, 20 people charged in connection with Ontario auto theft ring

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Mount Allison University in Sackville, N.B., is closed Wednesday after a “concerning message” was found on campus the previous day.

In a statement, the university said the message referenced Feb. 11, 2026 and the school made the decision to close the campus “out of an abundance of caution.”

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The university said it notified RCMP as soon as the message was found and has increased patrols and security presence on campus.

All classes and on-campus activities are cancelled, and scheduled midterms are postponed until the next regularly scheduled class.

Anyone who sees something suspicious is asked to call 911 and campus security at 506-364-2228.

“Campus Security will continue to be present, and the situation will remain under review. We will share further updates of when campus will re-open,” the university added.

If you’re heading out on the road Wednesday afternoon, Environment Canada is warning of “quickly changing and deteriorating travel conditions” in Waterloo region and Guelph due to snow and freezing drizzle.

Special weather statement is calling for blowing snow and freezing drizzle Wednesday afternoon

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If you’re heading out on the road Wednesday afternoon, Environment Canada is warning of “quickly changing and deteriorating travel conditions” in Waterloo region and Guelph due to snow and freezing drizzle.

The special weather statement issued just after 2 p.m., calls for local blowing and drifting snow as well as freezing drizzle.

Visibility will be reduced and icy and slippery conditions are expected.

“Prepare for quickly changing and deteriorating travel conditions. Roads, walkways and other surfaces may become icy and slippery,” the statement says.

The conditions are expected to begin Wednesday afternoon and last through to the evening.

Manitoba RCMP are asking for the public’s help as they continue to investigate the death of a 24-year-old man whose remains were found after a suspicious fire in Pinaymootang First Nation one year ago.

Camray Baer’s body was found in ashes of house that burned a year ago

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Manitoba RCMP are asking for help as they continue to investigate the death of a 24-year-old man whose remains were found after a suspicious fire in Pinaymootang First Nation one year ago.

On Feb. 7, 2025, emergency crews were called to a house fire just off Highway 6 in the First Nation, about 210 kilometres north of Winnipeg.

The home was fully engulfed in flames and was destroyed, RCMP said in a news release last year. 

The remains of a person were found in the house’s debris on Feb. 9, 2025. Mounties confirmed on Wednesday they were the remains of Camray Baer, 24.

The house fire and Baer’s death are considered suspicious, RCMP said in a news release. 

Mounties said they believe someone in Pinaymootang knows what happened to Baer.

RCMP ask anyone with information to contact Gypsumville RCMP at 204-659-5224 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit a secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.