Access to work

Access to Work is a discretionary grant scheme. It provides personalised support to disabled people who are in paid employment, self-employed, apprentices, trainees, supported interns, doing self-directed work experience, on Jobcentre Plus promoted work trials or going to a job interview.

You can also apply if you have a job offer letter, a job start date or a letter confirming your interview.

You can get help if you are disabled, have a mental health condition or have a long-term health condition that impacts on your ability to work; are aged 16 or over; and live in England, Scotland or Wales

‘Disabled’ has the same meaning as in the Equality Act 2010. This defines disability as 'a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on [your] ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities'.

Disabled can also include disabilities that only become apparent in the workplace. An example of this might be where you started work and found that your eyesight was affected by computer screens but had not noticed this problem before you started work.

Access to Work support covers a wide range of interventions beyond ‘reasonable adjustments’ associated with overcoming work-related barriers resulting from disability. The support package is agreed based on individual need.

Examples of the kind of help available through Access to Work are:

• A communicator, advocate or BSL interpreter for a job interview, if you’re D/deaf or have communication difficulties

• A support worker, such as a reader for somebody with a visual impairment; communicator for a D/deaf person; a specialist job coach for a person with a learning difficulty; or a helper for personal care needs at work

• Specialist equipment (or alterations to existing equipment) to suit your particular need.

• Help towards the additional costs of taxi fares if you cannot use public transport to get to work

• Support via Access to Work’s dedicated Mental Health Support Service.

Young people who start a work placement with an employer as part of the

Department for Education supported internship programme or a traineeship will be able to apply for Access to Work support for the time of their work placement only.

Access to Work will fund additional travel, job coach and other support, including costs of equipment if appropriate, and promote the smooth transition into paid employment.

No other types of unpaid internships or traineeships will qualify for Access to Work support.

There is no set amount for an Access to Work grant. How much you get depends on your specific case. The grant will only cover the support needed to let you stay in work or in self-employment.

There is an annual cap on the total amount of support that can be provided under Access to Work; this is currently set at £69, 260.

Access to Work will pay 100 per cent of the approved costs (subject to the cap):

• for travel to work, for a support worker/reader or a communicator for support at job interviews;

• if you are unemployed and starting a new job;

• if you have been working for an employer and have been in the job for less than six weeks; or

• if you are self-employed or setting up your own business through the New Enterprise Allowance.

If you have been in your job for six weeks or more when you first apply for help, Access to Work will pay a proportion of the costs of support as follows: (As the employer, you will contribute 100% of costs up to the threshold level and 20% of the costs between the threshold and £10,000.

• Employers with less than 50 staff: Access to Work can pay 80% of the approved costs.

• Employers with 50 to 249 staff:  The employer will have to pay the first £500 and Access to Work can then pay 80% of the approved costs up to £10,000.

• Large employers with 250 or more staff: The employer will have to pay the first £1,000 and Access to Work can then pay 80% of the approved costs up to £10,000.

Access to Work would normally cover all additional costs over £10,000, subject to the cap.