Who’s applicable for the grant?
Access to Work funding is available for individuals with disabilities or long-term health conditions that impact their ability to work. This support covers a wide range of conditions, including physical or sensory disabilities, mental health challenges like Anxiety or Depression, and neurodiverse conditions such as Dyslexia, ADHD, or Autism. If your condition makes aspects of your job difficult, this funding can help provide the adjustments or support you need.
The fund available is up to £69,000 per person, per year. This is a grant that does not have to be repaid, it does not affect any other benefits, nor is it restricted by earnings.
What does it cover?
The funding provided by Access to Work can be used to cover various costs associated with disability-related adjustments in the workplace. This includes specialist equipment, adaptations to the work environment, travel expenses, communication support, and various forms of human support.
The specific support and funding amount are determined on a case-by-case basis, considering the individual’s needs and circumstances.
Grant Amount
There is no set amount of funding for an Access to Work grant. The cost of your equipment and support is based on your specific case. The grant covers the cost of disability-related support needed to do your job.
Access to Work will pay a proportion of the costs associated with your support as follows:
Employers with less than 50 staff: Access to Work can pay 80% of the approved costs.
Employers with 50 to 249 staff: The employer will have to pay the first £500 and Access to Work can then pay 80% of the approved costs up to £10,000.”
Large employers with 250 or more staff: The employer will have to pay the first £1,000 and Access to Work can then pay 80% of the approved costs up to £10,000.
Access to Work would normally cover all additional costs over £10,000, subject to the cap of £69,000.
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 that any item which would normally be needed to do the job, whether a person is disabled or not, will not be paid for.
