New help for disabled people working from home during the pandemic
Disabled people working from home or in the workplace will benefit from extra help from 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
- Employees can get grant funding if they’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, video remote interpreting or support worker services.
- This funding can also be fast-tracked if they’re in the clinically extremely vulnerable group.
- If employees are travelling into the office and public transport isn’t a safe option at the moment due to their health condition, they can also apply for financial support for taxi fares.
- If employees are anxious about returning to work, they can get mental health support through Access to Work with a tailored package of support for up to nine months.
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 to stay in employment. Last year, it provided personalised support to 36,000 people with disabilities and health conditions to do their jobs.
The scheme can help employees speak to employers about changes they need, and can provide grants up to £60,000 to keep jobs accessible. Grants are tailor-made to individual needs and employees are assigned an Access to Work adviser to support them through the process.
Businesses that want to show their support for attracting, recruiting and retaining disabled employees can join more than 18,000 organisations that have signed up to the Disability Confident scheme. To find out more go to https://disabilityconfident.campaign.gov.uk/
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