Access to Work

What is Access to Work?
How does it do this?
Am I eligible for help through Access to Work?
What type of help can be provided through Access to Work?
How are my particular needs assessed?
How long will it take to get the help I need?
How much is my Access to Work grant?


What is Access to Work?

Access to Work (AtW) provides advice and practical support to disabled people and their employers to help overcome work related obstacles resulting from disability.


How does it do this?

As well as giving advice and information to disabled people and employers, AtW pays a grant, through Jobcentre Plus, towards any extra employment costs, which result from disability.


Am I eligible for help through Access to Work?

If your disability or health condition affects the type of work you do, and it is likely to last for 12 months or longer, contact the AtW Business Centre to check whether you are eligible for AtW.

If you have a disability and are in a job, or self employed, AtW could also be for you. It applies to any paid job - part-time or full-time, permanent or temporary.

Unemployed or employed disabled people needing help with a communicator at a job interview can also get help through AtW.


What type of help can be provided through Access to Work?

AtW can help in a number of ways. For example, it can help pay for:

• Communication support at interview (CSI) which meets the full cost of hiring an interpreter.
  
  
• A support worker which allows the applicant to use the services of a facilitator. Types of support might include reading to a visually impaired person, communicating for a hearing impaired person via sign language (other than at interview which is covered by CSI), or providing specialist coaching for a person with learning disabilities.
  
  
• Special aids equipment to help a disabled person function in the work place.
  
  
• Adaptations to premises or to existing equipment.
  
  
• Help with the additional costs of travel to, or in, work for people who are unable to use public transport.
  
  
• Training for accessable equipment or software.
  

How are my particular needs assessed?

If you are successful in gaining an interview, a member of the BBC HR Direct Access Unit will contact you to make arrangements. If you are successful in gaining a placement, the Access Unit will contact you and your manager work on a work-place assessment to establish what adjustments you will require. Sometimes specialist or technical advice may be needed, which the Assessor will help arrange. They will then write up the report and send to you and your manager with the recommendations on and then liaise with ATW to get the funding secured. In some cases, Access to Work may wish their own assessors to carry out a workplace assessment.


How long will it take to get the help I need?

We aim to get you the help that you need in the shortest possible time. However, if it's likely to take some time, Access to Work will explore temporary alternatives with you, for example a support worker or reader, while the permanent solution is sorted out.


How much is my Access to Work grant?

AtW pays a percentage of the total cost of approved support depending on how long you have been in employment, what support is needed, or whether you are self employed, for example:

Access to Work pays up to 100% of the approved costs for -

• Unemployed people starting a job.
  
  
• All self-employed people.
  
  
• People working for an employer who have been in the job for less than 6 weeks.

Whatever the employment status of the applicant, Access to Work pays up to 100% of the approved costs of help with -

• Support workers.
  
  
• Fares to work and from work to home.
  
  
• Communicator support at interview.

For people working for an employer who have been in the job for 6 weeks or more and need reasonable adjustments (e.g. assistive technology, equipment or adaptations to premises), AtW pays a proportion of the costs of support, as follows:

Maximum Access to Work contributions for approved costs:

Less than £300 - no contribution

£300 to £10,000 - 80% contribution of costs over £300

Over £10,000 - 80% contribution of cost between £300 and £10,000 and 100% of cost over £10,000

All help is for a maximum period of 3 years after which the AtW Business Centre will review the support and the circumstances. Access to Work may provide help for a further period if you continue to be eligible for help under the rules that then apply.


PLEASE NOTE

In all cases ATW will ask for a voluntary contribution; the Access Team will liaise with the BBC on your behalf regarding this.

Access to Work grants cannot be given retrospectively or if an employer buys equipment, or makes alterations to their premises in anticipation of recruiting an employee with a disability. 

It is necessary for the individual to make the initial call when the assessment has been done and approved, as AtW are a “customer-lead” organisation. Once the initial contact has been made, then the BBC HR Direct Access Unit can liaise with the AtW office in question.

The BBC is not responsible for any external links

Information is correct as at April 2009

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