Access to Work Scheme
Getting help at work if you’re disabled or have a health condition.
If you’re disabled or have a physical or mental health condition that makes it hard for you to do your job, you can:
Talk to your employer about changes they must make in your workplaceYour employer must make certain changes (known as ‘reasonable adjustments’) to make sure you’re not substantially disadvantaged when doing your job. These could include changing your working hours or providing equipment to help you do your job.
You should talk to your employer about reasonable adjustments before you apply for Access to Work.
Get help from Access to WorkIf the help you need at work is not covered by your employer making reasonable adjustments, you may be able to get help from Access to Work.
You need to have a paid job, or be about to start or return to one.
You’ll be offered support based on your needs, which may include a grant to help cover the costs of practical support in the workplace.
An Access to Work grant can pay for:
The money does not have to be paid back and will not affect your other benefits.
Eligibility
To get help from Access to Work you must:
You also need to have a paid job, or be about to start or return to one. A paid job could include:
Your job must be based in England, Scotland or Wales.
What you'll get
You’ll be offered support based on your needs. This may include a grant to help cover the costs of practical support in the workplace, or getting to and from work.
The grant can help pay for items or services you need, including:
Access to Work can also help assess whether your needs can be met through reasonable adjustments by your employer.
What Access to Work will not cover
You will not get an Access to Work grant to pay for:
For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work
- talk to your employer about changes they must make in your workplace
- apply for Access to Work if you need extra help
Talk to your employer about changes they must make in your workplaceYour employer must make certain changes (known as ‘reasonable adjustments’) to make sure you’re not substantially disadvantaged when doing your job. These could include changing your working hours or providing equipment to help you do your job.
You should talk to your employer about reasonable adjustments before you apply for Access to Work.
Get help from Access to WorkIf the help you need at work is not covered by your employer making reasonable adjustments, you may be able to get help from Access to Work.
You need to have a paid job, or be about to start or return to one.
You’ll be offered support based on your needs, which may include a grant to help cover the costs of practical support in the workplace.
An Access to Work grant can pay for:
- special equipment, adaptations or support worker services to help you do things like answer the phone or go to meetings
- help getting to and from work
The money does not have to be paid back and will not affect your other benefits.
Eligibility
To get help from Access to Work you must:
- have a disability or health condition (physical or mental) that makes it hard for you to do parts of your job or get to and from work
- be 16 or over
- live in England, Scotland or Wales - there’s a different system in Northern Ireland
You also need to have a paid job, or be about to start or return to one. A paid job could include:
- self-employment
- an apprenticeship
- a work trial or work experience
- an internship
Your job must be based in England, Scotland or Wales.
What you'll get
You’ll be offered support based on your needs. This may include a grant to help cover the costs of practical support in the workplace, or getting to and from work.
The grant can help pay for items or services you need, including:
- adaptations to the equipment you use
- special equipment or software
- British Sign Language interpreters and video relay service support, lip speakers or note takers
- adaptations to your vehicle so you can get to work
- taxi fares to work or a support worker if you cannot use public transport
- a support worker or job coach to help you in your workplace
- a support service if you have a mental health condition
- disability awareness training for your colleagues
- the cost of moving your equipment if you change location or job
Access to Work can also help assess whether your needs can be met through reasonable adjustments by your employer.
What Access to Work will not cover
You will not get an Access to Work grant to pay for:
- changes that your employer has to make (reasonable adjustments)
- items that would normally be needed to do the job whether a person is disabled or not
- support that your employer used to provide but has stopped
For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work
