Access to Work:

Helping the UK workforce perform to its full potential

With it being estimated that around 1 in 7 people have a neurological difference (including dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD and autism), every workplace should strive to promote a neurologically inclusive environment – it’s our differences that make us great, after all.

For neurodivergent individuals to shine bright, the UK Government runs Access to Work – a scheme to provide companies and self-employed individuals with funding to support their individual needs. Thanks to this scheme, a wide variety of reasonable adjustments (including Ayoa’s assistive software) can be affordably sourced, with the return being an exponential benefit for neurodivergent individuals and their colleagues.

To find out more about how support can be sourced via the Access to Work scheme which can assist neurodivergent individuals in the workplace, take a look below.

Claim your Ayoa licence following an Access to Work recommendation by clicking the button.

Claim Ayoa licence

Did you know?

Large organisations such as GCHQ, J.P. Morgan, Microsoft and more, all actively seek neurodiversity within their staff

A diverse and inclusive workplace was found to induce an innovation rate of up to 20% higher

Access to Work grants can see up to £60,700 worth of support be funded per employee

Find out how you can gain support via Access to Work:

Find out more

The role of employers: leading by example

The Access to Work application process is one which must be initiated by an individual rather than an employer. However, this does not mean that employers have no responsibility in creating the sort of inclusive working environment which Access to Work can help create.

Equality Act (2010)
The Equality Act (2010) stipulates that employers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments to support people with disabilities – job applicants as well as employees.

An employer who promotes Access to Work:

Supports their employees so that they can work to the best of their abilities
Encourages an inclusive welcoming environment which fosters appreciation, trust and motivation
Distinguishes themselves as possessing strong corporate social responsibility (CSR) values
Embraces talent brimming with potential which has previously been overlooked

Did you know?
Millennials will comprise close to three-quarters of the global workforce by 2025, and 64% only wish to work for an employer with strong corporate social responsibility values.

To find out what information you should be sharing in your organisation to attract and support amazing talent, see below the requirements and process which employees will need to know about so that they can claim support via Access to Work.

How can funding via the Access to Work scheme be sourced?

Access to Work operates to get disabled people into work, to help them retain their employment, and thrive within it. The means which it provides is financial, and whilst organisations will undoubtedly prosper economically by being able to properly employ disabled individuals in line with the Equality Act (2010), the positive impact of the scheme extends far beyond monetary values.

Here are the key points regarding the scheme and the process which must be followed in order for the benefits of Access to Work to begin helping everyone:

Who?

Anyone who is disabled, has a mental health condition, or has a long-term health condition which affects their ability to work qualifies, so as long as they are:

In paid employment
Self-employed
An apprentice, trainee or supported intern
Doing self-directed work experience
On Jobcentre Plus promoted work trials
Going for a job interview
In possession of a job offer letter
In possession of a job start date
In possession of a letter confirming an interview

What?

Access to Work grants provide funding for support which will best help an individual. Examples include:

A support worker, such as a communicator for someone who is deaf, or a reader for somebody with a visual impairment
Specialist equipment including assistive technology such as Ayoa
Access to the Mental Health Support Service
Assistance with the additional cost of required transport

How much?

Per year, an individual can receive up to £60,700 via the Access to Work scheme. The UK Government’s Department for Work and Pensions will pay 100% of the approved costs if:

Funding is for travel to work, a support worker, a reader or a communicator for a job interview
The individual is unemployed and set to start a new job
The individual has been with an employer for less than 6 weeks
The individual is self-employed or is using the New Enterprise Allowance to create their own business

Applying for Access to Work: the process

You can apply:

online by visiting this link
via email, atwosu.london@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
via telephone, 0800 1217 479
via textphone, 0800 1217 579
via post,
Operational Support Unit,
Harrow Jobcentre Plus,
Mail Handling Site A,
Wolverhampton,
WV98 1JE

Information required to apply:

National Insurance number
Workplace address and postcode
Name, email address and work phone number of a workplace contact, e.g. a manager
Unique tax reference number (if self-employed)
Name of New Enterprise Allowance mentor (if applicable)

What happens next?

An Access to Work advisor will contact you within 7 working days to clarify eligibility, learn more about yourself, share what support might be available and organise an assessment.

The assessment will enable the adviser to consider your needs within the context of your work. They will use this information to explore solutions and various methods of assistance which could help you.

This will accumulate in the production of a report. It will be created by the assessor and outline the support which they think will best support your work.

An agreement will be confirmed between your employer and Access to Work upon how the costs for recommended support will be split.

As soon as a commitment to Access to Work has been confirmed, your employer can immediately purchase support. Receipts must be kept so that Access to Work can reimburse your employer.

You will be all set with your Access to Work provisions – helping you and your company thrive!

Has Ayoa or an alternative software been recommended to you?

Following an Access to Work assessment, a recommendation will be made upon what can assist you in your work, along with the provision of an adequate amount of financial support so that it can be sourced.

This recommendation is purely guidance, so if utilisation of Ayoa is a personal preference in comparison to other pieces of similar software, such as that which provides mind mapping capabilities or assistance with organisation, as a recipient of the Access to Work grant you can still source an Ayoa licence with your funding. We will even make sure to price match so long as you can provide evidence of an Access to Work recommendation grant which includes mind mapping and/or organisation software!

Why you might want Ayoa to be part of your Access to Work provision:

Have the freedom to work anywhere on multiple devices – use our web-app, download onto your Apple or Windows desktops, or even your mobile devices from your app store.
Add purpose to your mind maps by seamlessly transforming visual ideas and thoughts into tasks which can be organised your way.
Collaborate inclusively with your colleagues in real-time no matter where you are, rather than being disconnected through utilising separate offline software.

Find out more about Ayoa’s neuro-inclusive digital workspace

Order your Ayoa licence

To order your licence of Ayoa following an Access to Work recommendation, please click the button below to access the order form.

Order form

If you have not been recommended Ayoa but are wishing to source it as an alternative piece of mind mapping and organisational software, you will be asked to provide full evidence of your recommendation in the order form for a price match to be confirmed by our team.

Neurodiversity