Access to Work is a government grant that pays for extra support at work if you have a physical or mental health condition or disability. GOV.UK names ADHD, autism, anxiety and depression as examples, and you do not need a diagnosis to apply. It can fund things like a job coach, a support worker, assistive software, help with travel, and a separate mental health support service. The grant does not have to be paid back and does not affect your benefits.
It is not a replacement for your employer's duty to make reasonable adjustments. Those are your employer's legal responsibility, and Access to Work will not pay for them. Our guide to reasonable adjustments at work in the UK covers that duty and how to ask. This guide covers what Access to Work adds on top, and how to get it.
All rules below were checked on 3 November 2026. Access to Work covers England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland has its own scheme, covered at the end.
GOV.UK says you must:
Paid work includes employment, self-employment, apprenticeships, work trials, internships and work placements. It does not include voluntary work. If you are employed, your earnings and savings do not matter. If you are self-employed, your annual turnover must be at least £6,500.
You can get Access to Work alongside most benefits, if you work more than 1 hour a week. If you get Employment and Support Allowance, you can get both if you work less than 16 hours a week.
Civil servants are the main exception. GOV.UK says their employer provides support instead. DWP's staff guide says civil servants can still use the Mental Health Support Service, so check with Access to Work if this applies to you.
There is no set amount. The grant covers what you need because of your condition to do your job. GOV.UK and the DWP customer factsheet list:
Your workplace can include your home if you work there some or all of the time.
DWP's internal staff guide gives examples of how case managers should think about support for neurodivergent people. They are examples, not guarantees:
The guide separates "enabling" support, where you still direct the work, from "replacement" support, where someone does part of the job for you. Replacement support is capped at 20% of your contracted hours.
A job coach is for settling into a new job and learning the role. The staff guide says job coaching should taper off and lasts a maximum of 26 weeks.
This is separate from the grant. GOV.UK says it can include a tailored plan to help you get or stay in work, and one-to-one sessions with a mental health professional. DWP's staff guide describes it as a tailored 9-month period of support.
The DWP factsheet gives examples of what a support plan might include:
You apply directly to one of two providers, Able Futures or Maximus, not both. You can only get this support once. If you have had it before through Access to Work, you cannot apply again.
If you are not sure whether you are dealing with burnout or something else, see adult ADHD or burnout: how to tell the difference and autistic burnout is not the same as depression.
The grant is capped at £69,260 a year for grants awarded or reviewed between 1 April 2026 and 31 March 2027, according to DWP's factsheet.
Your employer may have to share the cost of equipment and adaptations. This only applies if you have worked there for more than 6 weeks when you apply. The DWP employer factsheet sets it out:
Costs above £10,000 are normally met by Access to Work. Cost share does not apply to support workers, travel, the Mental Health Support Service, interview support or the self-employed.
If phone calls are hard for you, you can ask for all communication to be by email.
DWP's Health Adjustment Passport can help you prepare. It is a form for working out what support and adjustments you need, applying to Access to Work, and talking to your employer.
The application asks how your condition affects your work. It can help to be concrete about tasks, times and settings, rather than the diagnosis. For example: "I lose track of multi-step tasks without written prompts", or "unplanned phone calls leave me unable to work for the rest of the morning". Then say what would help.
Waits have been long. The National Audit Office reported in February 2026 that DWP took 66 days on average to process applications in 2024-25, rising to 109 days in November 2025. Applications waiting for a decision rose from 21,700 in March 2022 to 62,100 in March 2025.
In May 2026, DWP said around 60,000 applicants were awaiting a decision. It announced 480 new staff to clear the backlog by September 2027. It also said it prioritises applications where someone is due to start work within four weeks, and that 96% of these urgent cases were decided within 28 days.
In practice, this means applying as early as you can. If you are starting a new job, tell Access to Work your start date. While you wait, your employer's duty to make reasonable adjustments still applies.
You cannot appeal the level of an award, because it is agreed case by case. But the DWP factsheet says everyone is entitled to one reconsideration by a different case manager. Use the contact details on your award letter, or call the helpline.
You can complain separately about poor service or a claim that was not handled correctly. If your job or role changes, you can ask for a review as often as your situation changes.
The NAO also found that, after new staff training in 2024, some people got reduced awards on renewal without any change in their circumstances. If that happens to you, ask for a reconsideration.
If the real problem is that your employer refuses a reasonable adjustment, that is a separate legal issue. Acas, a trade union or an employment solicitor can advise. Our reasonable adjustments guide explains the steps and time limits.
In March 2025, the government's Pathways to Work green paper consulted on the future of Access to Work. In May 2026, DWP said "wider reforms" to keep the scheme "fair and sustainable" are being considered, using evidence from disabled people, employers and organisations. As of 3 November 2026, no specific changes had been announced in the sources checked.
Access to Work (NI) is run by the Department for Communities. nidirect says it can help with communication support, special aids and equipment, workplace adaptations, practical support, and extra travel costs. Like the GB scheme, it does not pay for reasonable adjustments. Help is approved for as long as needed, up to three years at a time.
To apply, email HealthandWorkSupportCo-ordination@communities-ni.gov.uk or speak to a work coach at your local Jobs and Benefits office. The person with the disability must make the application.
If you live in Ireland, there is no Access to Work scheme. See our guide to ADHD rights at work and college in Ireland.
No. GOV.UK says you do not need to be diagnosed to apply. What matters is that your condition means you need support to do your job. If you are still waiting for an assessment, see the adult ADHD wait in the UK.
Access to Work asks for a workplace contact to confirm your job, but GOV.UK says they are not contacted without your permission. In practice, most support involves your employer, for example a workplace assessment or cost sharing.
Yes, if your annual turnover is at least £6,500. DWP's factsheet says you need accounts or a business plan. It does not cover business start-up costs.
Yes. GOV.UK says Access to Work can pay for communication support at a job interview if you have a physical or mental health condition or learning difficulty and need it.
No. PIP helps with the extra living costs of a long-term condition, in or out of work. Access to Work only pays for support connected to your job. You can get both.
This article is general information, not legal or employment advice. For your situation, contact Access to Work, Acas, a trade union or an employment solicitor.
Reviewed by: Proco Team
Last updated: November 2026