Access to Work Access to Work Aims to assist disabled people who - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Access to Work

Access to Work  Aims to assist disabled people who are in paid employment or with a job to start  Gives practical support and advice to help meet additional costs associated with overcoming work related obstacles  Can provide a grant towards these additional costs  A flexible programme that focuses on the needs of the individual Healthy Workstations Ltd 2 www.healthyworkstations.com | (01639) 844500

Did You Know?  Over 35,000 individuals were helped or supported by Access to Work in 2010 / 11  Nearly 30% of the people helped during this time had sensory impairments  Nearly 16% of the people helped during this time had a back or neck condition  Over 500 people were supported with a mental health condition in the workplace. Healthy Workstations Ltd 3 www.healthyworkstations.com | (01639) 844500

Advantages to Employers Using the Programme  Encourages disabled people to apply for work and creates a more diverse workforce  Visibly demonstrates good employment policies and practices  Retaining an employee who develops a disability means keeping the person’s valuable skills Healthy Workstations Ltd 4 www.healthyworkstations.com | (01639) 844500

Eligibility To be eligible for help, a customer must:  Have a disability or health condition that has a long term adverse affect on their ability to carry out their job  Be over 16 years old  Be in, or about to start, paid employment (including self employment)  Live and work in Great Britain  Not be claiming Incapacity Benefit or ESA once they are in work (with the exception of permitted work) Healthy Workstations Ltd 5 www.healthyworkstations.com | (01639) 844500

How To Apply  Applications are made by the disabled employee not the employer.  Applications are taken over the telephone in the majority of cases. Alternative arrangements can be made for applicants whose disability prevents them from using the telephone.  The applicant rings 0208 426 3110 and is connected with our Customer Service Team who will check eligibility and fill out the application form for the applicant.  The form is then sent to the applicant for them to check, sign and return. The application then becomes active and is allocated to an Access to Work adviser who will then process the case to an outcome. Healthy Workstations Ltd 6 www.healthyworkstations.com | (01639) 844500

Types of Help There are seven main elements within Access to Work:  Special Aids and Equipment (SAE)  Adaptations to Premises and Equipment (APE)  Travel to Work (TtW)  Travel in Work (TiW)  Support Worker (SW)  Communication Support at Interview (CSI)  Mental Health Support Service (MHSS) Healthy Workstations Ltd 7 www.healthyworkstations.com | (01639) 844500

Mental Health Support Service Support is available from Access to Work for people with mental health conditions and are either:  Going into work  Absent from work as a result of a mental health condition  Finding work difficult as a result of a mental health condition The support available from Access to Work includes:  An assessment of needs  A personalised support plan with detailed steps designed to keep a person in, or help them to return to work  Signposting to relevant intervention and support services This service is provided for Access to Work by Remploy Healthy Workstations Ltd 8 www.healthyworkstations.com | (01639) 844500

Access to Work Grants Access to Work does not provide the support itself, but the grant with which to procure the support that is needed The level of grant will depend on:  Whether the applicant is employed or self employed  How long they have been in their job  The type of help required  The size of the company they work for Healthy Workstations Ltd 9 www.healthyworkstations.com | (01639) 844500

Access to Work Grants Cont… Access to Work will pay grants of up to 100% for:  Unemployed people starting a job  All self employed people  People who have been in their jobs for less than six weeks when they first apply for Access to Work And in all cases for:  Support Workers  Additional Travel to Work and Travel in Work costs  Communication Support at Interview Healthy Workstations Ltd 10 www.healthyworkstations.com | (01639) 844500

Cost Sharing  Cost Sharing is with the employer – not the applicant  Applies to applicants who are employed and have been in their job for more than six weeks when they apply for Access to Work  It applies only to Special Aids and Equipment (SAE) and Adaptations to Premises and Equipment (APE)  It does not apply to self employed applicants Healthy Workstations Ltd 11 www.healthyworkstations.com | (01639) 844500

Cost Sharing Cont…  When cost sharing applies, Access to Work will pay up to 80% of the approved costs above a statutory threshold  The amount of the threshold is determined by the number of employees employed by the organisation for whom the applicant is working:  0 – 9 attract no cost share  10 – 49 - £300 Threshold  50 – 249 - £500 Threshold  Over 250 - £1000 Threshold  Costs above £10,000 will normally be met by Access to Work  If there is a general business benefit a contribution will be sought in addition to any compulsory cost share. Healthy Workstations Ltd 12 www.healthyworkstations.com | (01639) 844500

Case Study 1 • Alison was successful in securing a job as a Human Resource Assistant • She was Registered Blind – could not read information on her computer monitor or any written text. • Using public transport was also a problem as catching a bus meant crossing busy roads and city streets • She contacted Access to Work for help • Access to Work funded an in work assessment which recommended specialist software and a CCTV • Access to Work also provided funding for a taxi to get her to and from work. Healthy Workstations Ltd 13 www.healthyworkstations.com | (01639) 844500

Case Study 2 • Julie is an Income Officer for a tenant management organisation • She was dealing with anxiety, depression & arthritis. She was referred to the MHSS as she was feeling very low, felt undervalued at work and was missing targets and deadlines due to issues with memory, concentration and organisation as a result of her mental health conditions. • Julie met with a specialist from Remploy who helped her develop a support plan which included: Suggestions for coping strategies, suggestions to improve confidence and sense of value, signposting to MIND and employer engagement. • Outcomes to date have included: Improved productivity in the workplace, increased level of confidence and feeling of value, improved relationship with line manager and increased perceptions of workplace wellbeing and self esteem. •Julie was quoted saying “You help has been a life -line. Since you came, behaviours have improved. The harassment with regard to how quickly I was working and what was left to do has calmed down”. Healthy Workstations Ltd 14 www.healthyworkstations.com | (01639) 844500

Further Information This presentation is intended to be a general guide to the principles underpinning the Access to Work programme and is not a full and authoritative statement of the law. General information about Access to Work can be found on the internet at www.direct.gov.uk You can contact the Customer Service Team with any questions on: 020 8426 3110 You can email the team at: atwosu.london@jobcentreplus.gsi.gov.uk Healthy Workstations Ltd 15 www.healthyworkstations.com | (01639) 844500

Healthy Workstations Ltd - Here to Help If you would like further information on this topic please contact us on the details below: Healthy Workstations Ltd 62-64 Commercial Street Ystalyfera, Swansea SA9 3HW Tel: 01639 844500 Fax: 01639 844600 Email: info@healthyworkstations.com Website: www.healthyworkstations.com (Contact Us) Healthy Workstations Ltd 15 www.healthyworkstations.com | (01639) 844500