It is a grant. You don’t need to repay it. If you have additional needs, a disability, or what may be described as an “impairment,” all of which mean you need support to do your job, you can apply for Access to Work.
Access to Work will help you if you have a physical disability that means you need specialist help, an ongoing illness such as epilepsy or diabetes, or even a temporary condition – for example, a broken leg.
You can apply if you have a mental health condition, such as anxiety or depression. Access to Work won’t usually affect any other benefits you receive, and you won’t have to pay it back.
To get it, you must have, or be about to get a paid job. Voluntary work does not secure Access to Work. However, self-employment, an apprenticeship, work trial or work experience, an internship or work placement all count.
It does not matter how much you earn or have in savings, or – in most cases – what other benefits you receive if you are working more than an hour per week.
The grant could pay for BSL interpreters, lip readers, or notetakers, adaptations to your car so you can get to work, taxi fares, a support worker, or paying for Coping Strategy Support Coaching to support your journey. You can also receive Access to Work and work from home if that is a part of your job.
However, your employer must pay for “reasonable adjustments” so you can do your job. Don’t worry if you’re not sure what these might be. When we start talking about your situation, our team will be able to identify reasonable adjustments, and whether they are likely to affect your application for Access to Work. On some occasions, you (or your employer might have to pay out money upfront and claim it back later – we will let you know more about this if the situation arises. Our Coping Strategy Support (if awarded) is the only part of Access to Work that is 100% funded and not paid for by the client or the workplace.
Maybe you thought you couldn’t work… perhaps owing to transport issues, or you were conscious that you need a specialist computer mouse or a different piece of software, or someone to help you reach things, move around the office, or access the things that you need to carry out your job.
At Accessibility Partners, it’s our initial role to help you get the assessment that you need in order to register as self employed, if that’s what you want to do, and this is at no cost to you. Why? Because we want you to succeed and believe that everyone should have the knowledge to progress through their application.
So, if you’re all set to go back to work, get ready to start looking for a job! We can help you with ideas to match your talents.
