Access to work – British Sign Language Guide

Published: Monday 21 October 2024 | No Comments

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This resource is kindly funded by Churchill Fellow

This short video for deaf jobseekers explains Access to Work including: 

-What is it? 

-Am I eligible? 

-When can you apply for it? 

-Support for interviews 

-Applying for Access to Work 

 

What is Access to Work? 

Access to Work is a government scheme that helps support disabled people start and stay in work. It was set up to ensure that disabled people have the same access to work as non-disabled people. 

It can provide practical and financial support, including paying for: 

• Specialist equipment and assistive software 

• Support workers, like a BSL interpreter, CSW or note takers 

• Costs of travelling to work, if you cannot use public transport 

• Physical changes to your workplace 

It does not matter how much you earn. If you get an Access to Work grant, it will not affect any other benefits you get and you will not have to pay it back. 

Access to Work will not pay for ‘reasonable adjustments’. These are the changes your employer must legally make to support you doing your job. 

The Access to Work scheme is managed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The DWP is part of the government. 

Am I eligible? 

You are eligible for Access to Work if you are deaf/HOH and you are: 

• Over 16 

• In, or about to start, paid employment (including self-employed) 

• Live and work in England, Scotland and Wales (Northern Ireland has a different system) 

When can you apply for it? 

You can apply for Access to Work when you are in work, whether you are employed or self employed.  

You can also apply for Access to Work to provide communication support in a job interview. This is called a Communication Support Interview.  

Communication Support Interview 

You can apply for a communication support worker to attend your interview with you. You can apply online via form, via the online video relay service or via phone. Visit www.gov.uk and search for ‘communication support at interview’ to apply. 

You need to apply a minimum of 2 working days before your interview – and earlier is better. 

You will need to provide all of the following: 

• The name of the company your job interview is with 

• The date of your job interview 

• How long your job interview is expected to last 

• The name and contact details for someone at the company. The ATW team only contact this person after your job interview to confirm it has taken place. 

You’ll also need to provide the total cost of your communication support for the job interview. Ask the person providing your support to include: 

• support worker costs 

• support worker travel costs 

• administration costs 

• VAT 

Once you have applied, Access to Work will reply within two working days to confirm. After the interview has taken place you can then claim your money back. 

Applying for Access to Work 

Once you have a job, or a contract/letter with a start date for your new job, you can apply for Access to Work. This includes if you are self-employed. You can apply online, video relay service, or via phone. See www.gov.uk/access-to-work/apply. 

To apply, you need: 

• Your contact details 

• Your workplace address and postcode 

• Information about how your condition affects your work 

• What support you think you need 

• Details of a workplace contact who can confirm you work there, if you’re employed. They will not be contacted without your permission. 

• Your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) number, if you’re self-employed. 

If you are due to start work within the next 4 weeks, your ATW application will be a priority. If you are already working, it can up to 12 weeks to get an assessment. 

Once you have applied, you will be contacted by an advisor. They may ask you questions linked to your application, for example: 

• For more information about your work and your disability or health condition 

• For permission to speak to your employer 

• To arrange for an assessor to call you or view your workplace by video call or in person. This is to find out what changes might help 

Once your assessment is complete, you will receive a letter with a decision. This letter will also include an explanation of the decision. Your letter explains how much your grant is, and what it can be used for. 

If you disagree with the decision, you can call the Access to Work helpline. Once connected, you can ask someone to reconsider your application. You can also call the helpline if you are unhappy with how your case was handled or the service you have received. 

Two important tips 

1. You will receive a Unique Reference Number linked to your Access to Work application. Keep it safe – you will need this in the future to identify yourself. 

1. When you receive your letter with your decision, read it carefully. This is in case you need to sign anything and send it back. Failure to do so could mean that your case is closed and you do not receive your grant. 

If you’d like to know more about how to use your ATW grant once you are in work, see our ‘In Work – using Access to Work’ video. 

We hope this has been a useful resource to help you understand what Access to Work is and how to apply for it. Good luck!