Is Access to Work the government’s best kept secret?
When I have conversations with employers, one question comes up over and over again. “I understand that I have to make ‘reasonable adjustments’, but how do I fund this?” This is where Access To Work comes to the rescue. The problem though is that not enough people have heard of it.
What is access to work?
It is a government grant available in England, Scotland and Wales that funds adjustments that employers wouldn’t normally have to make. Northern Ireland runs its own scheme
The support available depends on the employee’s disability or health condition. In the context of vision impairment, resources available through the scheme can fund assistive technology for accessing computers, travel to and from work, travel in work and a support worker to assist with those tasks that simply can’t be done without sight (this is not an exhaustive list).
Unfortunately, the scheme doesn’t support those with disabilities or health conditions on unpaid work placements. CrystalEyes suggest that employers should do what they reasonably can and should view work shadowing as a very positive alternative.
What are the most important things for an employer to bear in mind?
- The employee is responsible for applying for Access To Work.
- An application cannot commence until a job has been accepted and a start date has been agreed.
- The scheme’s assessors will want to speak to you during the process. So make sure your employee has a designated contact for this process. The employee’s line manager is usually the best option.
Make sure you check out next week’s blog, which will be all about the Access To Work application process.