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Access to Work
Practical help for disabled people
Access to Work can help you make the most of your opportunities in work by helping you to tackle some of the practical obstacles you may meet at work if you have a disability.
It offers practical advice and help in a flexible way so that it can be tailored to suit your needs.
If you have a disability and have a job to start, are self- employed or in a job, Access to Work could be for you. Access to Work can also help if you need help at job interviews, for example a communicator or interpreter.
It applies to any job, part-time or full-time, permanent or temporary.
If your disability or health condition affects the kind of work you do, and is likely to last for 12 months or longer, ask about Access to Work.
Access to Work can assist in a number of ways. For example, it can help pay for:
- a communicator if you are deaf or have a hearing impairment and need a communicator with you at an interview
- a reader at work, if you are blind or have a visual impairment
- special equipment (or alterations to existing equipment) to suit your particular work needs, if you need it because of disability
- alterations to premises or working environment if you need it because of disability
- a support worker, if you need practical help because of your disability either at work or getting to work
- help towards the cost of getting to work if you are unable to use public transport because of your disability
- These are just examples of how Access to Work may help you.
How much? If you are employed with a job to go to, have just taken up a job or are in or starting self-employment, Access to Work will meet all of the approved costs of help.
If you have already been in your job for 6 weeks or more, Access to Work will meet up to 80% of the approved costs of help after the first £300.
If total approved costs are more than £10,000 over 3 years, Access to Work will pay 100% of the approved costs between £ 10,000 and the actual costs.
If you are in self-employment, Access to Work will meet all of the approved costs of help no matter how long you have been self employed.
If you need help with Travel to Work or Communicator Support at Interview, Access to Work will meet all of the approved costs whether you are unemployed or already in a job.
We will approve help for as long as you need it up to a maximum of 3 years. After that we will consider renewing help under the rules of the programme in operation at that time. In some cases, this may mean that Access to Work does not pay the full cost of support.
NOTE: Check the amounts and terms carefully, as they will change overtime.
How to apply? The Disability Employment Adviser (DEA) who is usually based at your local Jobcentre, will be able to give you details of how to apply for Access to Work in your area and put you in touch with an Access to Work Adviser.
The Access to Work Adviser will discuss Access to Work with you and explain how it works.
Once your Access to Work help is in place, your Access to Work Adviser will keep in touch with you and your employer to make sure everything is going smoothly.
When you make an application for support under Access to Work we hope you will be completely satisfied with the advice and service provided. But if something goes wrong or you are not satisfied with the outcome we will look into it and get back to you within 10 working days. Just ask your Access to Work Business Centre Manager about our review arrangements.
And finally If you are going to a job interview, it is worth pointing out to your interviewer the range of help that is available through Access to Work and our other programmes and services for disabled people. Talk to your Access to Work Adviser beforehand about the ways Access to Work can be used to suit your circumstances. The rules may change at any time, and the Access to Work Adviser will ensure you have all the up to date information. At the interview you could suggest that the employer contacts your DEA to find out more.
Usually, the information needed for Access to Work will be obtained by talking to you and your employer by telephone. However, sometimes we may need to visit you at work to make sure we fully understand your needs, though this will be explained to you beforehand.
Your DEA can also advise on:
- how best to find the most suitable jobs or training
- the Job Introduction Scheme, which offers a chance to try out a job for an introductory period
- Work Preparation, including job trials, with an employer
- training to update and gain new skills
- work opportunities in WORKSTEP
Knowing about Access to Work could make the difference between a job opportunity and a missed opportunity.
Link to Directgov website page on Access to Work
also see our article on Resonable Adjustments at Work
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