Access to Work

• Access to Work opening hours have been reduced to 9-5pm
• Face to face assessments have been temporarily replaced by over the telephone assessments where possible
• Applications from key workers and customers with a job start date in the next 4 weeks are sifted out daily as a priority
• The amount of time a customer has to submit their claim forms has been extended from 6 months to 9 months
• Customers can now email approval from their manager/ support worker, rather than providing a wet signature, for requesting Access To Work payments
• The reasonable adjustment process has been extended to allow customers, who can’t provide hard copy claim forms through the post, to provide them by email instead

If you change employers, you may be able to transfer equipment to your new employer. You cannot automatically transfer awards for support workers or travel. You would need to contact the Access to Work team to discuss your new arrangements.

You might not get Access to Work if you get any of these benefits:

• Incapacity Benefit
• Employment and Support Allowance
• Severe Disablement Allowance
• Income Support
• National Insurance credits

However, you may get it for a limited time if you are doing certain types of ‘permitted work’ to help you move off benefits completely.

You can apply for Access to Work if you:

• are normally resident in, and working in, Great Britain
• have a disability or long term health condition that means you need an aid, adaptation or financial or human support to do your job (long term means lasting or likely to last for at least 12 months)
• have a mental health condition and need support in work
• are aged 16 or over

You must also:

• already be doing paid work
• be about to start work or become self-employed
• have an interview for a job
• be about to begin a work trial or start work experience under the Youth Contract arranged through Jobcentre Plus

About your condition

To receive support from Access to Work, your disability or health condition must affect your ability to do a job. The grant can help pay for specialist software – such as Caption.Ed software, adapted equipment, a support worker or travel expenses to and from work depending on your individual needs.

Access to Work can help pay for support you may need because of a disability or long term health condition, for example:

• aid, software and equipment in your workplace
• adapting equipment to make it easier for you to use
• money towards any extra travel costs to and from work if you can’t use available public transport, or if you need help to adapt your vehicle
• an interpreter or other support at a job interview if you have difficulty communicating
• other practical help at work, such as a job coach or a note taker or lip speaker

If you have dyslexia, examples of the support offered may include:

• assistive technology software, such as Caption.Ed
• accredited training on the assistive technology
• specialist equipment, such as coloured overlays
• dyslexia coping strategies training