Jeremy Clarkson recently argued in his Sunday Times column that benefit claimants should write weekly letters of thanks to randomly selected tax payers. This is ironic, considering that Jeremy Clarkson’s rise to fame came from the BBC, which is predominantly funded by a mandatory annual licence fee in UK households. Maybe he should be writing to us?
As a disabled person and claimant myself, I don’t really have any nice things to say about the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) or Jeremy Clarkson. One of my biggest frustrations with the DWP is around accessibility.
Accessibility and the DWP
When struggling to access the DWP and its services, not only does a negative experience intensify the mental load of having to navigate through an already complex system, but it also imposes additional barriers that prevent disabled people from being able to positively engage. I have struggled to get myself out of this labyrinth before, especially where there is a regular pattern in the way the DWP and central government try to get themselves out of deep water when being challenged on something preventable.
A lot of this preventability revolves around access and support. This involves giving personal autonomy and a voice back to disabled claimants, service users, and support networks involving family, friends, social workers, and carers. Public buildings like job centres, for example, must be fully accessible in accordance with the Equality Act 2010, and they have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments. So, how come this experience is somewhat of a novelty?
In July 2026, the Timms Review was released. One of the things that predominantly stood out to me from the Review was that over 90% of PIP claimants had a negative experience with the application process. What can the DWP do around improving their image and its relations within the community?
Discrimination at the Ipswich Job Centre
In looking for answers to this question, I discovered that Ipswich’s Job Centre is collaborating with the award-winning New Wolsey Theatre on the delivery of a weekly Creative Club, which involves working alongside a multidisciplinary artist. Glen Chisholm, who went to support a friend, ended up being denied entry at the door due to his disability. A woman working at the job centre looked at him and said:
Can you use stairs?
Glen replied:
Not exactly, because I’m disabled.
She said:
I can’t let you in.
Glen, who was obviously confused by this decision, asked why. She responded hypothetically by stating that the elevator stops working if there is an emergency. As for anyone faced with this response, you would ask if there was currently an emergency on site. The DWP worker said that there wasn’t. Quick-wittedly, Glen shared a scenario that should make sense to anyone struggling to realise the absurdity of what was just spoken in conversation:
If the building gets hit by a meteor and set on fire, I would find a way by perhaps sliding down on my bum. It would be humiliating, but I’d find a way.
The DWP worker finally retracted her previous decision and let Glen into the building.
This situation was obviously not handled very well, and the disappointing factor in all of this was the lack of accountability. Glen shared with me that negative experiences like this magnify his own vulnerabilities as a disabled person.
Why does the DWP not know the law?
It is unlawful not to provide adequate support and access to a public building like the job centre, and it must be done with dignity. You also cannot rely on an elevator for sole evacuation purposes either, so evac chairs must be provided for the stairs, and trained staff must be available on site at all times.
To be frank with you, I feel that the DWP has dissociated itself from the ongoing crescendo of public scrutiny. Experiences like this one are seen as minor inconveniences without realising the hypocrisy of their actions, considering the DWP has recently celebrated the success of putting disabled people first through landmark training for thousands of healthcare staff members.
The Timms Review shows that the system is not working for disabled people, it but fails to highlight the physical access barriers into buildings and the lack of reasonable adjustments being provided by staff members within the system. It shouldn’t be normalised for disabled people to overtly share everything in any passing interaction you have with a DWP worker. This in itself starts to dehumanise you.
DWP approached for comment
After being approached for comment, a DWP spokesperson said:
It is of the utmost importance to us that our buildings are accessible to our disabled customers.
When there is an event on the first floor of Ipswich Jobcentre, we provide customers access to our lift, and in the unlikely event of an emergency, we use evacuation chairs to support customers in exiting the building.
This specific incident has not been raised to our team but, we will look into it and provide any necessary upskilling to ensure disabled customers are given the support they need.
I want the DWP to remain open and realise that respect comes from understanding inclusion, and by not deferring away from what needs to be done in the moment. This shouldn’t be the picture disabled people are used to.
Featured image via the author
