Disability employment fund: Welsh groups can apply by 26 October
Welsh charities, businesses, public bodies and other eligible organisations have until Monday 26 October to apply for the first round of the UK Government’s Pathways to Work Innovation Fund. DWP added a link to the application portal to its bid-pack page on Friday 23 October. The fund is for testing new approaches that help disabled people and people with long-term health conditions move towards work, enter it, stay in it or progress.
Work and disability
- First UK-wide round
- Up to £10 million
- Expected second round
- Up to £50 million, early 2027
- Applications from individuals alone
- Not eligible
£10 million in the first round
Up to £10 million is available in the first round, with a further £50 million expected in a second round opening in early 2027. These are UK-wide allocations, not sums reserved for Wales. The programme seeks evidence of what works. Routine existing services or minor changes without a meaningful new approach are outside its stated focus.
Organisations apply, individuals need a partner
The bid pack welcomes charities, social enterprises, companies, research bodies, public-sector organisations and partnerships. Individuals cannot apply on their own or act as the lead applicant, but can contribute through a partnership. For joint bids, one organisation must lead the application and manage any award.
Where to apply
The application portal is linked in the sources below and on DWP’s bid-pack page. A completed application needs a budget and a milestones-and-delivery template. The guidance also provides alternative formats and routes for people unable to use the portal. The published deadline is 26 October; no closing hour is given in the pages checked. Welsh-language and accessible versions are available through the bid pack.