Access to Work

What is Access to Work?

Access to Work is a Government funded grant, which helps pay for adjustments required to help someone obtain or stay in a job. The assistance is for anyone with a physical or mental health condition or disability.

There is a small team of six assessors across England, Scotland, and Wales. The first stage for access to work is always for the employee to talk to the employer about reasonable adjustments within the workplace. This usually highlights areas where there are difficulties. Once these have been established, access to work can often help with the costs surrounding the adjustments. The team does not seek a particular diagnosis, it is more around the support needed. Anyone over 16 can apply, including apprentices etc.

Access to Work – Making Work Possible

• Access to Work is a grant that supports people with a health condition or disability
• It provides individual practical support and advice to help overcome barriers at work
• It helps people with all types of disabilities, including mental health conditions
• Access to Work grants may help with additional costs beyond “Reasonable Adjustments”
• Employers may be asked to contribute towards the cost of one-off support

What could Access to Work pay for?

• Special equipment or adaptations
• A support worker or job coach to help in the workplace
• Disability awareness training for colleagues
• Communication support at a job interview or in the workplace
• The cost of moving equipment following a change in location/job
• Travel to work support for those who cannot use public transport or drive, which may include taxis
• An Access to Work Mental Health Support Service for people absent from work or experiencing difficulties with their wellbeing

Customers may be asked to source three quotes, and grants would be determined based on the most cost effective solution.

Eligibility

Who can get help?
To be eligible for Access to Work, people can apply who:

• Have a disability or health condition that affects their ability to work
• Have to pay work-related costs e.g. specialist equipment/travel costs
• Are aged 16 or over
• Are in or about to start paid work in England, Scotland or Wales

Work
One of the following must apply:

• Have a paid job
• Be self-employed
• Have a job interview
• About to start a job or work trial
• Starting work experience

Other benefits
Certain benefits may affect whether a customer can get an Access to Work grant.

• Universal Credit, Jobseeker’s Allowance or Personal Independence Payment – Can be supported if someone is working more than 1 hour per week
• Employment and Support Allowance – Help from Access to Work is available as long as ‘permitted work’ has been agreed
• Incapacity Benefit – Also need to satisfy permitted work

How to apply
Apply for Access to Work online or by phone;

https://www.get-disability-worksupport.service.gov.uk/apply/condition 

Access to Work helpline: Telephone: 0800 121 7479

Textphone: 0800 121 7579 Relay UK (for customers who cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 121 7479 Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service: To use this, first check you can use the service, go to the video relay service

What to expect
During the application, the Customer will need to provide:

• Their workplace address and postcode
• The name of a workplace contact who can authorise Accessto Work payments
• Their workplace contacts email address or telephone number
• Their unique tax reference number (if self-employed)
• There may be an element of cost share depending on the size of the company

The Customer will also need to explain:

• How their condition affects them at work/getting to work
• What help they are already receiving
• What else could help them

After the application is made 

• Once the Customer’s applied, an Access to Work adviser will contact them to discuss what help they could get.
• An adviser may also contact their employer to discuss how Access to Work can help support them. They will not contact their employer until they’ve agreed this with them first.
• A specialist assessor may contact them and their employer to assess their needs and discuss appropriate support before providing a detailed report.
• A customer may get an offer of support, which could include a grant. If it does, they will be told how much they will get and for how long for.
• Grants are awarded depending on the individual’s needs for a maximum of three years, and are reviewed annually.
• There may be an element of cost share, depending on the size of the company and when the customer started working for that employer.

Costs:
An individual must apply within the first 6 weeks of starting a new role, for access to work to cover the adjustment costs. After this point, it is shared with the employer. The share depends on the level of the employer (i.e. number of employees). If the recommendation is for equipment, and this can be used in other situations, e.g. social situations, then there may be a request to fund the equipment cost.

If the support is for travel, currently if it is for a bus pass, this will be completely paid. If it is for a taxi, there may be a request for some of the contribution that would have been the cost paid for public transport.

How to apply:
The easiest option is to apply online, but there is also the option to apply over the telephone or text phone.

What to expect:
The forms request the work place address and contact details, name and address of payment personnel, unique individual tax code, transport to/from work, working hours and work pattern, any ideas of what support might be needed, e.g. software that has been of assistance in the past.

If the assistance is for support in a job interview, the turnaround time is 24 hours. If it is for a new role or change in position, a case manager is assigned to assess the case from start to finish. There is no discussion with the employer until it has been agreed with the individual applying.

Sometimes a work placed assessment is required. In this situation, an assessor attends the work place, discusses the difficulties and suggests possible solutions. The assessor then prepares a report.

Once equipment is recommended, there is a 13-week window for it to be ordered and a 6-month window for it to be claimed back by, otherwise that closes, and the employer would be expected to pay.

Ongoing support
Where ongoing support is required, the maximum time frame is 3 years. At this point, the individual would be required to re-apply. A text or email is usually sent to the individual, reminding them that their support time frame is nearing its end. The case worker will check the details and ensure the funding has been used appropriately. If the funding has not been used completely, then questions are asked why and if this needs to be changed. There is also the opportunity to reapply if the support does not work in the way it was predicted, or if other options wish to be explored.

Useful Information 

DWP Disability Services ATW

• Access to Work – Access to Work: get support if you have a disability or health condition – GOV.UK 

• Easy Read – Easy read: Access to Work – get support if you have a disability or health condition – GOV.UK

• Communication support for job interviews – communication support at a job interview – GOV.UK 

• Find out what support you can get by contacting Access to Work funded mental health services: Able Futures or Remploy

• Permitted Work – Permitted work: factsheet – GOV.UK