Did you know that as an employer you or your employee may be able to apply for grants to help and support with disabilities, or physical or mental health conditions to ensure they are not substantially disadvantage in their workplace, including employees who work from home?

The Access to Work grant is a publicly funded employment support programme that aims to provide practical and financial support to any individual in the workplace, or starting work, who has a disability or long term physical or mental health condition.

An individual who has a condition that affects them getting work, or in the workplace can:

• Request that as an employer you make reasonable changes
• Get additional help via the governments “Access to Work “grant

Access to Work can offer help / support based on the employees needs, which may include grants to help cover costs of physical support they may need in the workplace. This can also include the employees’ home if they are home working some or all of the time.

What can “Access to Work” help or support with?

The level of support offered is based on the needs or the individual / employee. This can include grants to help cover the cost of travel to and from the workplace or practical support within it.

If the employee is a home worker for some or all of the time, the support would also include the employee’s home.

The grant can help pay for services or equipment including:

• Specialist equipment or software
• Adaptations to equipment
• Confidential mental health support
• Sign language interpreter
• Note takers
• Lip speakers
• Vehicle adaptations to travel to and from the workplace
• A support worker or job coach to help you within the workplace
• Taxi fares for the employee and / or support worker if it is impractical to use public transport
• Disability awareness training for fellow employees

Who qualifies for the Access to Work scheme ?

To qualify:

• You must be an individual must have a disability or health condition that makes it hard for you to undertake part or all of their job role
• Be aged 16 or over
• Live in England, Scotland or Wales (excluding Channel Islands)
• Be in paid employment or about to start employment; this can also include being: 
• on work experience or work trial
• on an internship
• an apprentice
• staying in work
• addressing a need to reduce absence from work
• self employed

Note: there is currently no grant available for voluntary work.

Who pays for the disabled equipment ?

Should an employee be awarded an access to work grant, the employer will need to purchase the equipment and them claim the costs back via the grant. 

Up to 49 employees

The employer contributes 20% of the costs up to £10,000. Access to Work will refund up to 80% of the approved costs up to £10,000.

50-249 employees

The employer contributes the first £500 and 20% of the costs between £500 and £10,000. Access to Work will refund up to 80% of the approved costs between £500 and £10,000.

250 employees and over

The employer contributes the first £1,000 and 20% of the costs between £1,000 and £10,000. Access to Work will refund up to 80% of the approved costs between £1,000 and £10,000

The employer contributes the first £1,000 and 20% of the costs between £1,000 and £10,000. Access to Work will refund up to 80% of the approved costs between £1,000 and £10,000.

Access to Work will normally pay any balance above £10,000. The most Access to Work will pay is £62,900 a year.

Access to Work will review an individual’s circumstances and support needs after 3 years or if their condition changes.

Who owns and is responsible for maintenance of the disabled equipment ?

The employer purchases any equipment and therefore owns it, even though it has been purchased with a grant through Access to Work. This can confusing, as it is the individual employee who has to apply for the grant that is subsequently paid to the employer. The employer is responsible for its ongoing maintenance, insurance and disposal costs.

However, an employee may be able to transfer the equipment if they start a new job with a different employer. Talk to the Access to Work support team about this.

What is not covered by access to work?

• Changes that you have to make as an employer (reasonable adjustments)
• Funding for items that are required as a normal part of undertaking the job role

How to apply to the Access to Work scheme

Any employee with a physical or mental disability can apply for the Access to Work scheme online, via the government web site https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work/apply

Once an application has been submitted, an Access to Work Assessor will contact both the employee and the employer to discuss how Access to Work can support the employee.

The Assessor may also visit the workplace to undertake a formal assessment of the employee whilst at work. For home working employees this would also include a home visit.

Following the formal assessment the employee and / or the employer will be notified of the support that will be offered and for what length of time it will be provided.