If a disability or health condition makes work harder, you do not have to manage on your own, and you do not have to rely only on what your employer provides. Access to Work is a government grant scheme that can pay for the practical support you need to start or stay in a job. This guide explains what Access to Work is, what it can pay for, who can get it, and how to apply.
What Access to Work is
Access to Work is a grant from the Department for Work and Pensions that helps disabled people, and people with a physical or mental health condition, to start work, stay in work, or move into self-employment. The grant does not have to be paid back, and getting it does not affect your other benefits. It is designed to cover the extra costs of working that arise because of your condition, over and above the adjustments your employer should already make.
What it can pay for
Access to Work can pay for a wide range of support, depending on what you need. This can include specialist equipment or adaptations, a support worker such as a job coach, note-taker or sign language interpreter, help with the extra cost of getting to and from work if you cannot use public transport, and mental health support to help you stay in your job. The aim is to remove the particular barriers your condition creates, so you can do your job on a level footing.
Access to Work and your employer
Access to Work sits on top of the reasonable adjustments your employer must make under equality law, rather than replacing them. Employers are expected to make reasonable changes themselves, and for larger employers Access to Work may expect them to cover part of the cost of some support. The scheme is there to fund the additional, often more specialist or personal, help that goes beyond what an employer would normally provide, so it is worth seeing the two as working together.
Who can get it
You can usually apply for Access to Work if you are aged 16 or over, live and work in England, Scotland or Wales, and have a disability or a physical or mental health condition that affects your work. You need to be in paid work, about to start a job, or moving into self-employment, and your work usually needs to be above a low earnings threshold. You do not need a formal diagnosis, but it helps to be able to explain how your condition affects you at work.
How much you can get
There is no single fixed amount, because Access to Work is tailored to what you need, and the grant is worked out case by case. There is an overall yearly upper limit on how much one person can receive, which is reviewed each year, but most awards are well below it. Some support is fully funded, while for some employers a share of certain costs may be expected from them. The key point is that significant help is available where it is genuinely needed.
How to apply
You apply for Access to Work yourself, online or by phone, rather than your employer applying for you. Your application is treated as a priority if you are about to start a job within the next few weeks. After you apply, an assessment works out what support would help, and you then receive a decision setting out what has been agreed and for how long. A grant usually lasts up to three years, and you can apply to renew it before it ends.
Claiming the money
Once your grant is agreed, you usually pay for the support and then claim the money back, or in some cases your employer arranges and pays for it and reclaims the cost. Keep records and receipts, and follow the instructions in your decision letter about how to claim. If your job or your condition changes, you can ask for your grant to be reviewed, so that the support keeps matching what you actually need over time.
Mental health support
Access to Work includes specific help for mental health, recognising that conditions such as anxiety, depression and others can make work harder. This can include support to develop a plan for staying well at work, and access to a service that provides tailored mental health support over a period. If a mental health condition is affecting your ability to work, it is well worth exploring what Access to Work can offer, as this side of the scheme is often overlooked.
Self-employment and starting work
Access to Work is not only for employees. If you are self-employed, or about to start a job or a business, you can apply too, and your application is treated as a priority if you are starting work soon. The grant is not for general business start-up costs, but it can fund the support you personally need to do the work because of your condition. This makes it a valuable option for disabled people moving into self-employment.
Changes to the scheme
Access to Work has been the subject of review and reform, and the way it operates can change over time, including how some types of support are provided and the limits that apply. There have also been longer waiting times for applications and assessments at busy periods. Because of this, it is worth applying as early as you can, checking the latest position when you apply, and chasing your application if you do not hear back promptly.
It does not affect your benefits
An important reassurance is that an Access to Work grant does not count as income and does not affect any benefits you receive, because it is there to cover the costs of working, not to top up your income. This means you can take up the support you need without worrying about a knock-on effect on other help. For disabled people moving into or staying in work, this makes Access to Work a genuinely additional source of support.
In short
Access to Work is a government grant that pays for the practical support disabled people and those with a health condition need to start or stay in work, from equipment to a support worker to help with travel. It does not have to be repaid and does not affect your benefits. You apply yourself, online or by phone, and a grant usually lasts up to three years.
Worth applying for
For many disabled people, Access to Work is one of the most useful and least known forms of support there is, precisely because it focuses on what you need to do your job rather than on your income. If a health condition or disability is making work harder, applying is well worth the effort, as the right support can be the difference between struggling and thriving at work, and the grant is there precisely to be claimed and used by people in your situation.
Where to get help
The Access to Work helpline and disability charities can help you apply. See our guides to the Work Capability Assessment and the Right to Try working for more on work and health.