This is one of the largest sums of money in the British system that almost nobody applies for, and the reason is simple: it is not a benefit, so it never comes up when people check what benefits they are entitled to. It is a grant, run separately, and you have to go looking for it.
Quick facts
- What it pays for
- Equipment, support workers, travel to work, vehicle adaptations
- Affects other benefits
- No
- Repayable
- No
- Means tested
- No, if you are employed
- Self-employed
- Turnover of at least £6,500 a year
- Where
- England, Scotland and Wales — NI has its own system
What it actually pays for
The list is broader than people expect, and the travel one in particular changes lives.
Crucially: "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."
- "specialist equipment and assistive software"
- "support workers, like a BSL interpreter, a job coach or a travel buddy"
- "costs of travelling to work, if you cannot use public transport" — in practice this can mean taxis every working day
- "adaptations to your vehicle so you can get to work"
- Physical changes to your workplace — and "Your workplace can include your home if you work from there some or all of the time."
- Communication support at job interviews, which is a separate application and available before you have the job
Who qualifies, and the two assumptions that stop people applying
The first assumption is that you need a formal diagnosis. You do not: "You do not need to be diagnosed with a condition to apply."
The second is that it has to be a permanent, serious disability. It does not. GOV.UK's own list of qualifying conditions includes ADHD, dyslexia, autism, anxiety, depression, diabetes, epilepsy — and "a temporary condition, like a broken leg".
You need to be 16 or over and "be in paid work (or be about to start or return to paid work in the next 12 weeks)". That twelve-week window means you can apply before you start a job, which is when the support is often most needed.
Paid work includes employment, self-employment, an apprenticeship, a work trial, work experience, an internship or a placement. "You cannot get Access to Work support for voluntary work."
Money, savings and other benefits
If you are employed there is no means test at all: "If you're employed, you can get support however much you earn or have in savings."
If you work for yourself there is one threshold: "If you're self-employed, you must have an annual turnover of at least £6,500." Turnover, not profit.
You can hold it alongside most benefits as long as you work more than an hour a week. On Employment and Support Allowance you can have both if you work under 16 hours a week.
One practical warning: "You or your employer may need to pay some costs up front and claim them back later." Agree with your employer who is fronting what before anything is ordered.
What it will not do
"Access to Work will not pay for reasonable adjustments. These are the changes your employer must legally make to support you to do your job."
That is not a refusal, it is a redirection — those changes are your employer's legal duty under the Equality Act, and Access to Work will tell them so. The grant covers what goes beyond that duty.
Mental health support is a one-shot: "For mental health support, you can only claim Access to Work once. If you've received it before, you cannot apply again." That is worth knowing before you use it, because it cannot be saved for later once spent.
Civil servants are covered by their employer instead. And it is Great Britain only: "live and work (or be about to start or return to work) in England, Scotland or Wales - there's a different system in Northern Ireland".
How to apply
Apply for the grant on GOV.UK. Mental health support is a different route, through either Able Futures or Maximus, and you must apply to one of them only.
If you are not sure whether you qualify, the helpline is the fastest way to find out: "Telephone: 0800 121 7479", Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
If phone calls are difficult, you can ask for everything to be done by email instead, and there is a British Sign Language video relay service.
Common questions
Does Access to Work affect my other benefits?
No. GOV.UK is explicit that an Access to Work grant will not affect any other benefits you get, and you will not have to pay it back. It is a grant, not income, and it is not means tested if you are employed.
Do I need a diagnosis to apply for Access to Work?
No. You do not need to be diagnosed with a condition to apply. You need a physical or mental health condition or disability that means you need support to do your job or to get to and from it.
Can I get Access to Work for a temporary condition?
Yes. GOV.UK gives a broken leg as an example of a qualifying temporary condition. It is about whether you need support to do your job, not about how long the condition will last.
Can I apply before I start a job?
Yes, if you are about to start or return to paid work within the next 12 weeks. Applying early is often the point, because equipment and support workers take time to arrange.
I am self-employed. Can I get it?
Yes, if your annual turnover is at least £6,500. That is turnover rather than profit, so a business with modest profits can still qualify.
Does Access to Work cover reasonable adjustments?
No, and that is deliberate. Reasonable adjustments are changes your employer is legally required to make under the Equality Act. Access to Work pays for support that goes beyond that, and will tell your employer where the line falls.