Access to Work
If you have ADHD (diagnosed or not) and live in the UK, you need to know about Access to Work!
Have you heard about it? I hadn’t, until about 10 months after my diagnosis, when I saw a Linked In post about it from another ADHDer! It doesn’t seem to be particularly well publicised (the psychiatrist who gave me my diagnosis didn’t even mention it).
Having been through the process myself now, here’s what I can tell you about it.
What is it?
It’s a government scheme designed to get people into/keep them in work and is available to anyone with a physical or mental disability or health condition.
It can be used to pay for a range of support that wouldn’t be covered by employer reasonable adjustments.
What can I get?
The maximum they’ll grant an individual each year is £65k, but most people are awarded much less than this. You’ll be assigned an assessor who will talk to you about the support you need and decide a figure based on their guidance documents.
If you already know what you need, you can let the assessor know and they’ll check that it’s all reasonable. You can use the money to pay for ADHD coaching, a support worker, software or equipment. Anything really that will help you do your job (whether you’re an employee or self-employed).
If you don’t know what you need then you’ll go through an assessment that looks at the challenges you face. You’ll then be presented with suggestions of equipment and support that could help.
Can I use the money on whatever I want?
You can use it on whatever has been agreed with your assessor.
The way it typically works is that you pay for the support/equipment and then claim it back through the Access to Work portal (much quicker than the postal option).
If you’re employed, then I believe your employer would usually pay for it and then claim it back directly from Access to Work.
Is there a catch?
The only real “catch” is that you need to be in a paid job already, or about to start one.
If you’re newly self-employed (as I was when I applied) then you’ll be asked to provide a business plan showing your predicted earnings for the next three years. It’s worth getting started on this when you put your application in, so that it doesn’t hold up the process for you.
Also, not really a catch, but the application process isn’t particularly ADHD-friendly. If you’re struggling with it then it’s worth reaching out to someone who’s already been through it and come out the other side.
How do I apply?
You can apply by completing the online application form.
There’s currently a bit of a backlog, with waits of 3-6 months between initial application and first contact from your assessor.