A guide on how to get support if you have a Disability or Health condition including Mental Health.
If you are disabled, have a physical health or mental health condition your manager can help support you with it. The Trust will make reasonable adjustments for you in order to make sure you feel happy with your work environment and make sure you’re not disadvantaged when you're doing your job.
This can include things like changing your working hours or providing equipment to help you do your job, a support worker such as a driver or work coach. Access to Work is also there to help support you with any mental health needs. Access to work can also pay for assessments to see what you need at work. You can apply for Access to work up to 6 weeks before you start work.
You can click here for government guidance on what types of things are reasonable adjustments
Grant
Access to Work can also provide an Access to Work grant to help out. The grant is there to help you get into work or help you stay in work.
If you need further support or adaptations that go beyond the reasonable adjustments, that’s where the grant can come in helpful. It can help you with things such as paying for travel to work or adaptations to your workplace. The timescale for receiving the grant varies and is worked out on a case by case basis, Access to work will give you more information on this when you apply. Clicking here will take you to a government guidance page on what support you can get
You must:
- have a condition or impairment that affects your ability to do your job or travel to work
- be in or about to start paid work (this includes self-employment)
Access to Work applies to any paid job. This includes part-time work, temporary work and work trials organised by Jobcentre Plus. You can also apply for a support worker for a job interview.
Applying for Access to Work
Your employer cannot apply for you. You must apply for Access to Work yourself. Talk to your employer and work out what adjustments they could make and how Access to Work could help.
When you apply, you will need to explain:
- how your condition affects you
- what help you are getting
- what kind of help you think you need
If you feel you would like to apply for the grant you can click here to find out if you are eligible for the grant
Advice on your requirements
You can speak with your line manager, Occupational Health, People Services or Dave Thompson at Warrington Disability Partnership on 01925 240064.
Applying can be completed online however should that not be available to you the following support is also provided.
You will also need to give:
- the address and postcode of your workplace
- the name of a workplace contact (usually your manager) who can authorise your Access to Work payments
You can apply by calling the Access to Work helpline. Make sure you have all the necessary details with you when you call.
Access to Work helpline
Telephone: 0800 121 7479
Text phone: 0800 121 7579
Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 121 7479
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Find out about call charges
British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service
To use this you must:
The Cost
Access to Work will normally pay 100% of the cost if any of these apply to you:
- you have been in a job for less than 6 weeks
- you are self-employed
- you need funding for a support worker, travel to work or interviews, communication support at interviews
If you apply after you have been in the role for more than 6 weeks, your employer might need to contribute towards the cost of things paid for by Access to Work. How much your employer pays depend on:
- the cost of the adaptations
- the size of the employer
Your employer (the Trust) will be required to contribute the first £1,000 and 20% of the costs up to £10,000. Access to Work will refund up to 80% of the approved costs up to £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 funding is ongoing. Access to Work will review your circumstances and support needs after 3 years or if your condition changes.
Maintaining equipment
Your employer (the Trust) owns the equipment it buys through Access to Work and is also responsible for maintenance, insurance and disposal costs.
Transferring the equipment if you leave
You may be able to transfer the equipment if you start a new job with a different employer. Talk to the Access to Work support team as well as your employer about this.