Great Britain: a passport that can facilitate graduates with a disability as they transition to employment

On 03 December the UK government unveiled the ‘Access to Work Adjustments Passport’, the aim of which is to facilitate university graduates from a background of disability as they transition to employment. This pilot scheme, which is currently being tested with students at the University of Wolverhampton and Manchester Metropolitan University until March 2023, will gather information on the needs and health conditions of these new passport holders. The passport will allow graduates to be exempt from medical appointments at the time of employment and they can also discuss their working conditions directly with their employers in confidence. Holders of these passports can benefit from new financial support by way of grants of up to £62, 900 (€73, 333). These grants will be used to cover the cost of specialist equipment needed to adapt the job to the disability. Minister for Disabled People Chloe Smith stated, “Everyone deserves an equal opportunity to thrive at work, starting from the moment they take their first steps on the career ladder.” This year, up to 100 graduates at each University will be eligible for the Access to Work Adjustments Passport. However, the government has already promised that it will extend the scheme to the whole of the UK before the end of the pilot if initial feedback from this trial is positive.