What Access to Work is
Access to Work can help you get or stay in work if you have a physical or mental health condition or disability.
The support you get will depend on your needs. Through Access to Work, you can apply for:
- a grant to help pay for practical support with your work.
- support with managing your mental health at work.
- money to pay for communication support at job interviews.
This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg), British Sign Language (BSL) and Easy Read format.
Practical support with your work
Access to Work could give you a grant to help pay for things like:
- specialist equipment and assistive software
- support workers, like a BSL interpreter, a job coach, or a travel buddy.
- costs of travelling to work if you cannot use public transport.
- adaptations to your vehicle so you can get to work.
- physical changes to your workplace
Your workplace can include your home if you work from there some or all the time. It does not matter how much you earn. If you get an Access to Work grant, it will not affect any other benefits you get and you will not have to pay it back. You or your employer may need to pay some costs up front and claim them back later.
How to apply: Check you’re eligible and then apply for an Access to Work grant.
Mental health support
You can get support to manage your mental health at work, which might include:
- a tailored plan to help you get or stay in work
- one-to-one sessions with a mental health professional
How to apply: Check you’re eligible and then apply directly to either Able Futures or Maximus.
Communication support for job interviews
Access to Work can help pay for communication support at a job interview if:
- you’re deaf or hard of hearing and need a BSL interpreter or lip Speaker
- you have a physical or mental health condition or learning difficulty and
need communication support.
Find out more and apply for communication support at a job interview.
What Access to Work will not pay for:
Access to Work will not pay for reasonable adjustments. These are the changes your employer must legally make to support you to do your job. Access to Work will advise your employer if changes should be made as reasonable adjustments.
For more information click the following link:
