14 July 2026
Ufi welcomes new Government employment support fund highlighting the role of technology in widening access to work
Catalysing innovation with the DWP £60m Pathways to Work Innovation Fund.
Today’s announcement from the Department for Work and Pensions of the new £60m Pathways to Work Innovation Fund is a welcome recognition of the role innovation and technology can play in helping disabled people and those with health conditions find work and develop their careers.
For too long, too many people have been excluded from opportunities to develop skills, access training and secure sustainable employment. Technology has the power to change that, opening up new routes into learning and work, while enabling more personalised support for people with diverse needs and experiences.
The fund is expected to open for bids in September 2026, with organisations across the UK invited to test genuinely new approaches to employment support.
At Ufi, we have seen first-hand the difference that thoughtfully designed technology can make across a wide range of projects. Examples include AutonoMe, which blends human support with digital prompts to help neurodiverse people and those with learning disabilities gain and sustain paid employment; AssistiV, which provides clear prompts and personalised support to increase independence at work; and Bristol Braille, which is opening up access to literacy, numeracy and technical skills for blind and partially sighted learners.
Commenting on the announcement, Will Britton, CEO of AutonoMe said: “It’s incredibly exciting for our sector to see the government actively backing fresh, creative solutions with this £60 million fund. By leaning into technology and cross-sector collaboration, we have a genuine opportunity to break down the barriers that keep talented individuals out of the workforce”.
These projects demonstrate an important principle: when technology is designed to help people facing the greatest barriers, the benefits often extend far beyond the original target audience. This is about more than accessibility. It is about creating better opportunities for everyone.
“When technology is designed around the needs of people facing the greatest barriers, everybody benefits. We’ve seen this through organisations we’ve supported, helping people with learning disabilities, autism, visual impairments and other barriers develop skills, gain confidence and access sustainable employment.
The challenge now is to ensure that effective solutions can be adopted at scale, helping more people develop skills, access opportunities and thrive in work. This new fund could provide a massive boost to innovations that provide real pathways to opportunity for people facing long-term barriers to work and skills.”
The challenge facing the UK is rarely a lack of promising ideas. More often, it is ensuring that early ideas find a nurturing environment in which to grow, and are supported to scale to reach the organisations and individuals who can benefit most. Ufi exists for exactly this purpose: to work with others to ensure the potential of vocational technology is realised, for the benefit of individuals, communities and the UK economy.
As the UK considers how technology can best support the skills needs of the future, it will require a continued capacity to fund innovation and adoption for social good in a flexible way that nurtures and grows impact. Today’s announcement is therefore an important step. We hope that the investment will help stimulate further innovation, encourage collaboration and bring forward new solutions that support people who have too often been overlooked by traditional approaches.
