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Access to Work information for employers

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Access to Work is a publicly funded employment support grant scheme that aims to support disabled people start or stay in work. It can provide practical and financial support for people who have a disability or physical or mental health condition. Support can be provided where someone needs support or adaptations beyond reasonable adjustments.

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An Access to Work grant can pay for practical support to enable your employee to start or stay in work, or to support you if you are self-employed. The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are not covered by Access to Work and there is a different service in Northern Ireland.

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Access to Work can be used for flexible working arrangements, such as hybrid working. This can include:

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  • support to work from more than one location

  • support for working at home for all or part of your time

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How can it help me?
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Access to Work can support you to:

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  • hire disabled people with the skills you need

  • retain an employee who develops a disability or health condition (keeping their valuable skills and saving both time and money recruiting a replacement)

  • show that you value and will support your employees by having good employment policies and practices

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Your employee can get support with the extra costs of working they may have because of their disability or health condition, for example:

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  • aid and equipment in the workplace

  • adapting equipment to make it easier for them to use

  • money towards any extra travel costs to and from work if they can’t use available public transport

  • money towards any extra travel costs for travel costs within work

  • an interpreter or other support at a job interview where there are difficulties in communicating

  • a wide variety of support workers

  • the Access to Work Mental Health Support Service

  • other practical help at work, such as a job coach or a sign language interpreter

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If your staff member has a mental health condition, they will be offered assistance to develop a support plan. This may include steps to support them remaining in or returning to work and suggestions for reasonable adjustments in the workplace.

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Examples of assistance to develop a support plan:

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  • flexible working patterns to accommodate changes in mood and impact of medication

  • providing a coach/mentor to give additional support at work

  • arranging additional time to complete certain tasks

  • providing additional training

  • regular meetings between you and your employee to talk about their concerns

  • a phased return to work, such as reduced hours or less days

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Access to Work does not provide the support itself, but provides a grant to reimburse the agreed cost of the support that is needed.

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Mental Health Support Service
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The Access to Work Mental Health Support Service:

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  • gives advice and guidance to help employers understand mental ill health and how they can support employees

  • offers eligible people an assessment to find out their needs at work and develop a support plan

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Who can get Access to Work
 

To be eligible for support, a person must:

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  • have a disability or health condition that means they need an aid, adaptation or financial or human support to do their job

  • have a mental health condition and need support in work

  • be 16 or over

  • be in, or about to start, paid employment (including self-employment)

  • normally resident in, and working in, England, Scotland or Wales – there is a different system in Northern Ireland

  • not be claiming Incapacity Benefit or Employment Support Allowance once they are in work

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However, they may get it for a limited time if they are doing certain types of ‘permitted work’ to help them move off benefits completely.

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If the person is a civil servant, their employer will provide support instead of Access to Work.

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Their condition
 

If their disability or health condition affects their ability to do the job or they have to pay work-related costs. For example, special computer equipment or extra travel costs because they can’t use public transport.

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If an employee has a mental health condition that affects their ability to do the job, and support is required to:

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  • start a new job

  • reduce absence from work

  • stay in work

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How much will this cost me?
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As an employer, you may have to share the cost with Access to Work if the person has been working for you for more than 6 weeks when they apply for Access to Work.

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You will only have to share the cost for:

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  • special aids and equipment

  • adaptations to premises or equipment

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Cost share does not apply to self-employed applicants or to the Mental Health Support Service.

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How much will the grant be for?
 

Access to Work will consider paying grants of up to 100% for:

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  • self-employed people

  • people who have been working for less than 6 weeks when they first apply for Access to Work

  • the Mental Health Support Service

  • support workers

  • additional travel to work and travel in work costs

  • communication support at interviews

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The level of grant will depend on:

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  • whether the person is employed or self-employed

  • how long they have been in their job

  • the type of help required

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What will my share of the costs be?
 

When cost sharing applies, Access to Work will refund up to 80% of the approved costs between a threshold and £10,000. As the employer, you will contribute 100% of costs up to the threshold level and 20% of the costs between the threshold and £10,000.

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The amount of the threshold is determined by the number of employees you have.

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Number of employees

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0 to 49 employees

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50 to 249 employees

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Over 250 employees

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Any balance above £10,000 will normally be met by Access to Work.

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If the support also provides a general business benefit, a contribution will be sought in addition to any compulsory cost share.

 
 
Maximum amount of grants
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Access to Work grants awarded on or after 1 October 2015 are capped. The amount of the cap depends on when the grant was awarded or reviewed.

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How someone can claim
 

Your employee can apply for Access to Work if they need support to get them back to work.

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Apply online
 

The quickest and easiest way to apply for Access to Work is online.

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Apply by phone
 

They can also apply by phoning the Access to Work helpline on:

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Telephone: 0800 121 7479
Textphone: 0800 121 7579

 

 

Click here for more information 

 

 

Amount of threshold

nil

£500

£1,000

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