New help on offer for disabled people working from home during the pandemic

18 Aug 2020 03:28 PM

Disabled people can now benefit from financial support to work from home, thanks to an extension to the Access to Work scheme.

• People who are clinically extremely vulnerable can get new applications for grant funding fast-tracked.
• Funding can now cover taxi fares and public transport costs, if a health condition prevents you from travelling on public transport during the pandemic.

Those working from home or in the workplace with a disability will benefit from extra help, thanks to an extension of the Access to Work scheme, including support for special equipment, travel costs and mental health.

Covid-19 is changing the way we work and impacting working environments and arrangements. With many employers asking workers to adapt to a new environment, Access to Work can play a key role in supporting disabled people to retain, return to and move into employment.

New extensions to the scheme

• You can get grant funding if you’re disabled and need support to work from home because of Covid-19, which can help pay for special equipment such as a screen reader or video remote interpreting or support worker services.
• This funding can also be fast-tracked if you’re in the clinically extremely vulnerable group.
• If you’re travelling into the office and due to your health condition public transport isn’t a safe option for you at the moment, you can also apply for financial support with things like taxi fares.
• If you are anxious about returning to work and need support, you can also get mental health support through Access to Work with a tailored package of support for up to nine months.
• Applying for funding is easy - either online at: gov.uk/access-to-work or over the phone on 0800 121 7479. Following a short assessment, you can start getting support.

Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work Justin Tomlinson said:

In these unprecedented times, it is absolutely right that we continue to support disabled people to pursue employment without barriers.

This extension of funding and support will help to protect thousands of jobs which provide vital independence allowing disabled people to reach their full potential.

About Access to Work

The Access to Work scheme is designed to help people who are disabled or have a physical or mental health condition stay in employment. Last year, it provided personalised support to a record 36,000 people with disabilities and health conditions to do their job.

It can help you speak to your employers about changes they need to support you, and can even provide grants up to £60,000 to keep your job accessible. Your grant is tailor-made to your needs and you’ll be assigned an Access to Work adviser to support you through the process.

More information

• The latest figures show more people than ever before, over 36,000, have benefited from Access to Work grants.
• Last year, the Department for Work and Pensions spent over £129.1 million on Access to Work – a real terms increase of 14% since 2018.
• You can find out more about Access to Work at: https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work, with braille and easy read versions available.
• Businesses who want to show their support for attracting, recruiting and retaining disabled employees can join more than 18,000 organisations who have signed up to the Disability Confident scheme. To find out more go to: https://disabilityconfident.campaign.gov.uk/