Access to Work

Access to Work – What you need to know!

Access to Work is a government-run programme delivered by Jobcentre Plus to help overcome barriers that disabled people come across in getting or retaining work. The programme provides advice, a possible assessment of a persons disability needs in the workplace and if required, a financial grant towards the cost of any necessary support. It is provided where the employee requires support or adaptations beyond those “reasonable adjustments” which an employer is legally obliged to provide under the Equality Act 2010.

Who is Access to Work for?

Access to Work can provide a grant towards the additional employment costs resulting from an employee's disability that an employer would not normally be expected to provide.

To be eligible for Access to Work the applicant must be either:

• in a paid job
• unemployed and about to start a job
• unemployed and about to start a work trial
• self-employed

The person's disability or health condition must stop them from being able to do parts of their job, and this must be likely to last for 12 months or more.

There are certain circumstances when a person on Permitted Work, may use Access to Work. Please contact the Contact Centre for more advice.  A list of contact numbers are available on the Direct Gov website.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/Employmentsupport/WorkSchemesAndProgrammes/DG_173083

Pre-Employment Eligibility Letter

A new 'Pre-Employment Eligibility Letter' has been introduced to allow disabled jobseekers to confirm that they are eligible to apply for support from the Access to Work programme. Job applicants may wish to use the letter in discussion with an employer when applying for job vacancies.

The Pre-Employment Eligibility Letter is available on Directgov. https://forms.direct.gov.uk/forms/form/275/en/access_to_work-check_your_eligibility

How Access to Work can help

Access to Work can pay towards specialist equipment an employee needs, or a support worker. It can also pay towards the cost of getting to and from work if the employee is unable to use public transport.

The programme is broken down into elements, each offering a specific type of help, where the employee requires support or adaptations beyond those “reasonable adjustments” which an employer is legally obliged to provide under the Equality Act 2010.

• travel within work
• special aids and equipment
• support worker, including interpreters.
• travel to work

Depending on a persons circumstances, Jobcentre Plus may provide support under more than one of these elements.

Applying for Access to Work

If an employee is eligible for support under the Access to Work programme, they will need to submit an application. Applications are taken by telephone and a form is sent to the employee for them to sign and return. Once returned, the application will be allocated to an advisor.  The telephone number for applications is 02920 423 291 Quote: Evenbreak

The level of support your employee will receive

Access to Work can pay up to 100 per cent of the approved costs if a person is:

• unemployed and starting a new job
• in employment, but has been working for you for less than six weeks

Access to Work will pay a proportion of the costs of support if all of the following apply to an employee:

• they've been in the job for six weeks or more
• they need special equipment or adaptations to premises

Access to Work will review an applicants circumstances and the support they are receiving on an annual basis.

Contact Details

For further information about the Access to Work programme, please go to the Direct Gov website

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/Employmentsupport/WorkSchemesAndProgrammes/DG_4000347