In late 2019, I suffered an incident that left me unable to walk or leave home for more than a year. Up until this point, I was managing my disability well — I had been holding down a successful corporate career for over a decade. But this event was life-changing, I was diagnosed with a new condition, and it soon became clear that I would not only never be able to return to my old job but also, if I was to return to any sort of paid employment, then I would need additional support to be able to do so. I was facing a late-stage career pivot with increased disability needs, and I had no idea how to navigate this new reality.

I had some theatre contacts from a little side hustle I’d been nurturing, which gave me the idea that I might be able to build a more flexible career in the arts and culture industry. When I got my first freelance contract with a major media company in 2021, Access to Work funding supported me to accept and keep the role. More projects followed, more experience meant my earning potential increased, and soon I was regularly being sought out for paid work opportunities. I went from worrying that my disability would prevent me from ever working again to enjoying an accessible and financially viable career working for some of the industry’s biggest institutions — doing something I enjoyed and was good at. None of this would have been possible without my Access to Work funding. Unfortunately, my funding was 100% cut during the renewal process in 2024, not only leaving me unable to work but also leaving me in thousands of pounds worth of debt to a taxi company and my access support workers — some of whom are also disabled.

The decision to cut my funding was made overnight, without notice, and against the guidelines set out in the Access to Work staff handbook. It has been almost two years since I first made a complaint about the maladministration within my case. I have yet to receive a response, and my primary source of income is now Universal Credit.