Aspire

Access to Work

What is Access to Work?

Access to Work is a grant like disabled students allowance but designed to offer support in the workplace, instead of education.

It is there to help support you to do your job to the best of your ability.

Who is Access to Work for?

To be eligible for Access to Work you must have a physical disability, learning disability, mental health condition, a developing condition, a temporary condition, or an illness that affects your ability to do your job on a day-to-day basis.

You must be aged 16 or over, live and work in England, Scotland, or Wales (there is a different system in Northern Ireland), be about to start a new job, apprenticeship, internship, work placement, already employed or self-employed, or about to return to paid work in the next 12 weeks.

What Kind of Support does Access to Work offer?

Access to Work can support with costs such as non-medical helpers, for example, a British sign language interpreter, travel costs to and from work or within work. Specialist equipment, for example, a computer if you need one because of your disability, assistive technology, a support worker, or job coach, to help you in your workplace. A support service if you have a mental health condition and you are absent from work, or finding it difficult to work and the cost of moving your equipment, if you change location or job.

Now you know what Access to Work is, the next step is to apply!

How do I apply for Access to Work?

You can apply no matter what stage you are at, whether you are currently applying for jobs, already employed, or even thinking about starting a business.

The process involves applying and having an assessment before receiving confirmation of support and organising the support offered.

The Application Process for Access to Work

Applying

You'll need to contact Access to Work either by email, filling out the online application form or by telephone or text phone.

You will need to provide contact details for yourself and your employer (they will not be contacted without your permission) as well as information about how your condition affects your work and what support you think you need.

You may also be asked to provide medical evidence as part of the application process.

After you apply.

Once you have applied someone from Access to Work, will contact you talk through your application.

If you're employed, you will need to disclose your application to your employer so that support can be arranged and funded once the application is approved.

How you will be assessed

Access to Work Assessment.

Once you have completed your application, you should receive a workplace needs assessment within two weeks of referral. This can take place at work via phone or video.

The assessment is a discussion to look at how your individual circumstances are impacting your ability to work and what resources could be put in place to help support you.

Once complete, the assessor will write a report and send it to Access to Work, making a list of recommendations.

Receiving your confirmation

Support confirmation and organisation.

After reviewing the recommendation made by your assessor, Access to Work will contact you and your employer with an eligibility letter to let you know what support has been granted.

The eligibility letter will include all the information you and your employer need to arrange the support offered.

Your employer will need to purchase the equipment recommended in the letter and claim back the costs.

If you're self-employed you will need to pay for your equipment and support yourself and claim back the costs.

It can take a while to go through the Access to Work process so we recommend applying as soon as possible.