Starting work can be difficult for anybody, if you have a disability and have health conditions that can put extra pressure on yourself but there are great support available for you into work or during time at your work. You can gradually increase your confidence and feel re-assured for all the support is available at work and starting into work.
WHAT IS ACCESS TO WORK ?
There are government funded programs such as ‘Access to work ‘ and small grants available to people based on your individual needs to provide support. You can be entitled financial grant to help cover the costs of practical support in the workplace. An Access to Work grant can pay for: special equipment, adaptations or provide for support worker services to help you do things like answer the phone, helping with paperwork and filling or attend to meetings with your or to provide with any adaption needs to meet to your ability.
Who can claim Access to work?
To be eligible for help, you must:
• have a disability or long-term health condition that has a negative effect on your
ability to do work
• have a mental health condition and need extra support in work
• you must be over 16 years old
• Have been or about to start, paid employment (including self-employment)
• normally live and work in Great Britain
• you will not be claiming Incapacity Benefit or Employment Support Allowance once you are in work, which means benefit can be stopped unless you claim for other benefits such as universal credit to top up earnings and continue with your PIP payments.
However, you can still be certain benefit for limited amount of time, if you are doing certain types such as like of ‘permitted work’ to help them move off benefits completely in the near future.
When you’re applying for jobs, you should mention to your potential employer, either at the application stage or in your interview, that Access to Work may be available to you, which will provide you with support if you also need at interview , Access to Work with eligibility letter, which you can give to your employer or take to a job interview.
HOW TO APPLY FOR ACCESS TO WORK SUPPORT?
You can apply online or you can contact by telephone and ask from your nearest job centre.
Telephone: 0800 121 7479
Textphone: 0800 121 7579
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Find out about call charges
You can Call the Access to Work number to ask for alternative formats, such as braille, large print or audio CD.
If you need an alternative way of contacting Access to Work to discuss your needs, you can write to:
Access to Work
Operational Support Unit
Harrow Job centre Plus
Mail Handling Site A
Wolverhampton
WV98 1JE
You can apply directly here for Access support
European Union (EU) and outside the EU you can still claim access to return work .When your company is based in an EU country and when your employer sends you to GreatBritain to work, they can apply for Access to Work support.
