Welfare Reform Bill

moved Amendment No. 59: 59: Clause 10 , page 9, line 17, at end insert— ““(9) Relevant information gathered during the work-focused, health-related assessment may, with the client’s consent, be shared with those administering Government funded schemes that assist with payment for work-related adaptations, equipment or support from which the client may benefit.”” The noble Baroness said: The purpose of the amendment is that information gathered during the work-focused health-related assessment can be shared with those administering the access to work scheme, giving them an early indication of what help is needed as a person moves towards work. It would also allow the Government to budget for access to work. We have already had a discussion about the whole access to work scheme, so I will not repeat what I said last week, but there is one extra point that I did not cover, about which Citizens Advice is concerned. That is that the scheme is not available to those undertaking voluntary work. Doing voluntary work is a good route into paid employment and likely to be a cost-effective move if access to work could be extended to cover those wishing to move towards work by doing voluntary work. I beg to move.