Access To Work Scheme For Young People
Are you thinking about a job or apprenticeship? This Q&A resource has been produced by our Futures team, outlining all you need to know about the Access to Work grant, if you're eligible and how to apply.
What is Access to Work scheme?
Access to Work scheme is a government programme aimed at supporting you to remain in full-time, paid work. It provides funding for personalised support if you have a physical or mental health condition or disability. It is for people who are: in paid employment (employees and apprentices) self-employed and going to a job interview. You can also apply if you have: a job offer letter, a job start date, a letter confirming your interview.
Am I eligible for Access to Work?
You can get help if you: have a physical or mental health condition, or a disability, are aged 16 or over and live in England, Scotland or Wales. “Disability” is defined as effecting your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. This can also include disabilities that only become apparent in the workplace. An example of this might be where you started work and found that your eyesight was affected by computer screens but had not noticed this problem before you started work.
What support is available?
Access to Work covers a wide range of supports beyond the ‘Reasonable Adjustments’ an employer will make. The support package is agreed based on individual need. Examples of the kind of help available through Access to Work are: a communicator, advocate or BSL interpreter for a job interview, if you have communication difficulties, a support worker, such as a reader if you have a visual impairment, a specialist Job Coach for a person with a learning difficulty, a helper for personal care needs at work, specialist equipment (or alterations to existing equipment) to suit your particular need.
What is the role of the Job Coach?
An Access to Work Job Coach can only claim for providing one-to-one support to the eligible employee or apprentice. Access to Work funding will cover: Individual skills training and support at the business, work related training such as travel training to the business, communication with colleagues, interview support and required business learning support such as online industry standard training e.g. health and safety or lifting and handling Access to Work cannot be used for preparation or review activities, but the Job Coach can be useful for building a positive working relationship with the business by teaching and supporting competent and reliable team members.
What is the Access to Work Grant Amount?
There is no set amount for a grant. How much you get depends on your specific case. Access to Work will only cover the support you need to stay in work or self-employment.
What Access to work cannot cover
The Equality Act 2010 places a duty on an employer to make Reasonable Adjustments for disabled employees. Access to Work funding cannot be used to support these adjustments. Access to work will also not fund items which are regarded as standard equipment, standard business costs or standard health and safety requirements. This means any item which would normally be needed to do the job, whether a person is disabled or not.
Access to Work Support for Students
If you need communication help for a job interview before graduation, you should be able to access this service, even though you’re still studying.
How to apply for Access to Work?
For further information on how to apply, visit the GOV.UK website. If you need an alternative way of contacting Access to Work to discuss your needs, write to:
Access to Work,
Operational Support Unit,
Harrow Jobcentre Plus,
Mail Handling Site A,
Wolverhampton, WV98 1JE 104
What is an Access to Work medical form?
A specific form is used in connection with claims for travel training. The form can be completed by someone who knows you well, giving a clear indication why you need support with travel to work. Once completed, this then needs to be signed by a medical professional to verify that the information is accurate. This could be your GP, Practice Nurse, Psychiatrist, Psychologist or Learning Disability Nurse, but it can’t be signed by a non-medical person such as Social Worker or Job Coach.
How long is Access to Work funding available for?
Access to Work funding agreements can cover up to three years. Reviews normally take place annually to assess if continued or further funding is needed. As long as you need the funding, you should continue to get it.
Helping Your Child Build Their Future
For more useful resources like this, download our Building Bright Futures Support Pack.