New government ‘passport’ for disabled graduates

The Government is to introduce a new ‘passport’ scheme for disabled university students to support them as they move into work.  The Access to Work Adjustment Passport scheme is to be piloted at the University of Wolverhampton and Manchester Metropolitan University and will involve up to 100 students who already receive extra support while studying at university.  The passport captures information about their condition and the adjustments they already benefit from, avoiding them have to repeatedly disclose that information when they apply for a grant from Access to Work once they start work.

Through Access to Work, disabled people can benefit from grants worth up to £62,900 to cover the cost of specialist equipment needed needed to support them to do their job.  One of the objectives of the passport scheme is to raise awareness amongst employers of the students who graduate in 2022 will be the first to benefit and the scheme will roll out nationwide if the pilot is successful.