0141 332 4632Department for Work and Pensions Access to Work scheme
Vision impairment does not mean that you must stop working or cannot work.
Access to Work is a publicly funded employment support programme that helps disabled people, including those with vision impairment, start or stay in work. Access to Work does not provide the support itself, but provides a grant to reimburse the agreed cost of the support that is needed.
An Access to Work grant can pay for practical support to help you:
- start working
- stay in work
- move into self-employment or start a business
Access to Work can also give practical advice and guidance to employers, helping them understand physical and mental ill health and how they can support employees.
Your employer may also be responsible for some of the costs of your Access to Work claim, this is called cost sharing. However, this is dependent on the size of the organisation. If the organisation has 49 employees or under, then the employer will not be required to contribute to the Access to Work claim. Useful information for both employees and employers can be sourced from the ACAS link at the bottom of this page.
Top tip: Your employer will not be responsible for any of the costs if your application is within the first six weeks of you starting employment. Visibility Scotland can support you with your application, click the Eye T programme link at the bottom of this page to learn more.
What does the law say?
If you are registered as sight impaired, severely sight impaired, blind or partially sighted by a consultant ophthalmologist, then you are considered to have a disability under The Equality Act 2010 legislation.
Employers are not allowed to discriminate against someone based on their disability. This means that it is unlawful to dismiss them on the grounds of their disability. Instead, employers must make changes in the workplace to meet a person’s specific needs. These changes are called reasonable adjustments. You can click the link below to read more about reasonable adjustments:
Reasonable Adjustments – Knowledge Centre
How can the Access to Work scheme help me?
Access to Work can help pay for work-related support you may need because of your vision impairment, for example:
Aids and equipment
Access to Work will only award the minimum requirement for aids and equipment to allow you to carry out your job role effectively.
Vision rehabilitation
Vision rehabilitation is called “coping strategy training” by Access to Work. Visibility Scotland can provide vision rehabilitation. To find out more information about vision rehabilitation and how we can help, visit the link below:
Vision rehabilitation – Visibility Scotland’s Knowledge Centre
Travel costs
Access to Work can provide funding for travel costs to and from work if you can’t use available public transport or if you need help to adapt your vehicle. When applying make sure you state if you have a National Entitlement Card that provides free travel, otherwise you will be charged a minimum travel rate by Access to Work.
Communication support and practical help
Access to Work can support communication by providing an interpreter or other support at a job interview. They can also fund other practical help, such as a job coach, note taker, or lip speaker.
Support worker
Access to Work can provide funding for you to have a support worker to enable you to perform your role.
Am I eligible?
You can apply for Access to Work if you:
- are normally resident in, and working in, Great Britain
- are aged 16 or over
- have a disability or health condition that means you require equipment, adaptations, financial support or a support worker to do your job
- have a mental health condition and need support at work
You must also:
- already be in paid work, or
- be about to start work or become self-employed, or
- have an interview for a job, or
- be about to begin a work trial or start work experience under the Youth Contract arranged through Jobcentre Plus
What counts as employment?
For Access to Work, “employment” includes paid work (full-time, part-time, permanent, temporary, or casual), work trials through Jobcentre Plus, and roles in supported or unsupported environments.
It does not cover volunteering or training (unless it’s directly related to your current job and you’re receiving normal wages).
Exceptions
You might not get Access to Work if you receive any of these benefits:
- Incapacity Benefit
- Employment and Support Allowance
- Severe Disablement Allowance
- Income Support
- National Insurance credits
If you are employed by ministerial government departments, including the Department for Work and Pensions or one of its agencies, your department will pay for your support, meaning you do not need to apply through the Access to Work scheme.
What happens after I apply?
After you apply for Access to Work, a case manager will contact you to discuss what help you could get. A workplace assessment may be necessary to determine your needs.
You do not need an assessment if you know what support you require.
An Access to Work case manager will discuss the award with you and develop a tailored support package.
If you require an assessment, it will be carried out by telephone, an online video call or in person within the workplace.
If you cannot use the telephone or video call, contact the organisation arranging the assessment to agree on another method. This could be through an online British Sign Language (BSL) interpreting service or an online video service.
You can find more information on the GOV.UK website, linked below:
Access to Work and how to apply
Help from Visibility Scotland
For individuals
Application support
Visibility Scotland’s Eye T project provides tailored support on assistive technology to working-aged people with vision impairment. You can try out different types of assistive technology in a no-pressure environment to see what works for you.
The project also supports people with their Access to Work claim.
You can find more information about Eye T by clicking the link below:
Visibility Scotland’s Eye T service
Vision rehabilitation
Visibility Scotland can provide tailored vision rehabilitation support. Vision rehabilitation offers practical strategies, tools, and emotional support to help individuals regain confidence and live fulfilling, independent lives. To find out more visit our Knowledge Centre page linked below:
Vision rehabilitation – Visibility Scotland Knowledge Centre
For organisations
To support organisations to cultivate equal, inclusive and diverse workplaces we provide a selection of training packages that are tailored to fit business needs. Additionally, Visibility Scotland offers mentorship for leadership teams to support recruitment and job retention in a non-judgmental space. Visit the training links below to learn more.
Examples of good practice
- Visibility Scotland offers employers inclusive communications training, teaching them how to make their information and communication more accessible. This is paramount when supporting disabled employees.
- Take advantage of Visibility Scotland’s advice and support through its Tech Works project.
- Employers should offer training to other employees on vision impairment, especially those working closely with the individual, to foster a supportive and inclusive working environment.
- Employers can make adjustments before the formal Access to Work assessment. These can be small, inexpensive changes, such as clear signage, tactile markers, or adjustable lighting.
- Before applying for Access to Work, list specific challenges you experience in the workplace. Consider how assistive technology or adaptations could help, such as screen readers or high-contrast monitors.
- Once your Access to Work support is approved, keep track of any delays and communicate with your employer to ensure any necessary equipment or adjustments are in place.
- Your employer should dedicate a team member to support the individual through the application process and monitor its success or failure. The team member must be confident in the Access to Work programme.
