Support at work

Access to Work is a scheme run by the government. It pays for practical things deaf and disabled people need to find work and do their jobs. This could be things like:

• British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters
• notetakers
• palantypists
• technology (for example, a radio aid, a hearing loop or a vibrating alarm clock)
• communication support for job interviews.

The money you get will depend on how your deafness affects you at work and the support you need.

Access to Work is not means tested. This means it doesn’t matter how much money you earn or if you have savings. The government just looks at how your deafness affects you.

Can I apply for Access to Work?

You can apply for Access to Work if:

• you are aged 16 or over
• you live in England, Wales or Scotland (there is a different scheme in Northern Ireland)
• you have a paid job or are about to start one – this includes both full-time and part-time work, temporary and permanent jobs, self-employed work, apprenticeships, traineeships, supported internships, paid internships and paid work experience
• you have a disability which makes it hard for you to do parts of your job or travel to work.

Many deaf people don’t think of their deafness as a disability. As a deaf person, you still have the right to apply for Access to Work if you need support at your job, even if you don’t personally identify as disabled.

If you get Universal Credit, you can only apply for Access to Work if you work more than one hour a week.

You can also sometimes get help if you don’t have a job yet. Access to Work can give you money for communication support at a job interview.

How do I apply for Access to Work?

You can apply for Access to Work in two ways:

• Online – fill out the form online (GOV.UK).
• Telephone – call the Access to Work helpline on 0800 121 7479. If you can’t hear or speak on the phone, you can use the text relay service from Relay UK or the BSL video relay service. Make sure you have all the information you will need before you call.

You will need to give lots of information about yourself and how being deaf affects you at work. You will be asked for:

• your work address
• the name of someone at work who can authorise your payments (your manager or someone in HR)
• that person’s work email address or phone number.

You will also need to tell them about:

• how your deafness (and/or any other conditions) affects you at work
• how your deafness (and/or any other conditions) affects you getting to and from your workplace
• what reasonable adjustments your employer has already made
• what else could help you at your job.

I’ve applied for Access to Work – what now?

If you get Access to Work funding, this can be paid in two different ways:

• the government pays support workers (such as BSL interpreters or palantypists) directly
• you or your employer buy what you need and then the government pays you back.

Your Access to Work grant can last up to three years, and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will get in touch every year to see if your needs have changed. When your Access to Work grant is due to end, you will need to reapply. You can do this up to 12 weeks before your grant finishes.

If your support needs change or your job changes, you should let the DWP know.

If your application isn’t successful and you don’t get Access to Work funding, you can’t appeal. However, you can ask for another Access to Work advisor to look at it.

ESA is a benefit to support people who have a disability or health condition that affects how much they can work.

For some people, their disability or health condition may mean they can’t work at all, or they can’t work as many hours as other people. ESA helps with living costs (for example – rent, bills and food) and can also give you support to get back to work if you’re able to.

Can I apply for ESA?

You can apply for ESA if:

• you have a disability or health condition which affects how much you can work
• you have worked or been self-employed in the past
• you have made enough National Insurance contributions (these are normally taken from your wages automatically each time you are paid).

Young people aren’t usually eligible for ESA because you need to have made enough National Insurance payments to claim. Most young people won’t have worked or been claiming benefits long enough. But if you have had a job in the last few years, you may be able to apply.

You can begin your claim for ESA with a fit note. This is a form filled out by a doctor or nurse that gives evidence that your health affects your work.

You can’t apply if you get Job Seekers Allowance or if you’re getting Statutory Sick Pay.

You can get ESA if you already get Universal Credit, but sometimes you might get less money overall. Use a benefits calculator to find out before you apply.

How do I apply for ESA?

You can apply for ESA online through GOV.UK for England, Scotland and Wales or fill out the form through nidirect for Northern Ireland.

• In England, Wales and Scotland - if you have questions or need help filling out the form, you can call the JobCentre Plus new claims helpline on 0800 055 6688. If you can’t hear on the phone, you can use RelayUK’s text relay service or use the video relay service to speak to someone in British Sign Language (BSL).
• In Northern Ireland - You can apply or get advice on your online application on the telephone. Call the ESA Centre on 0800 085 6318. If you can’t hear on the phone, you can use RelayUK’s text relay service or a video relay service to speak to someone in BSL or Irish Sign Language (IRL).

To apply, you will need:

• your National Insurance number (you might have a plastic card with this on, or you can find it on payslips)
• your bank account number and sort code
• your main doctor’s name, address and phone number
• a fit note – this is also known as a ‘sick note’ or ‘statement of fitness for work’. This is a letter from your doctor that explains why you can’t work. You will need this if you’ve not been able to work for seven days in a row or more
• details about how much money you earn (if you are working).

A few days after you send your form, the DWP will contact you about sending in any evidence. They will explain what they need and how you can send it.

You will also be contacted about booking an appointment for a Work Capability Assessment. This is usually over the phone (but you will be able to use relay services if you need to). An advisor from the Job Centre will ask you how your disability or health affects you at work and will look at the evidence you have given them.

You will also need to make a Claimant Commitment with a work coach. This is an agreement between you and the DWP that you’ll apply for jobs, attend interviews or other work-related activities. If you don’t fulfil your Claimant Commitment and can’t provide your work coach with a valid reason why, your ESA will be reduced or you’ll be sanctioned and your ESA stopped.

Can I work if I get ESA?

If you are getting ESA but want to do some work, you can start doing permitted work. This means that you earn £152 a week or less and either:

• you work 16 hours a week or less (you can do as much volunteer work as you like!)

or

• your work is carried out under medical or other types of supervision.

You must tell the DWP in advance that you’re starting permitted work.