Access to Work

What is Access to Work?

Access to Work is a grant run by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). It pays for practical, extra support that helps you start, stay in, or return to work when a disability or health condition — including ADHD — makes parts of your job harder.

A few things worth knowing straight away:

• It's a grant, not a loan. You never pay it back.
• It won't affect your other benefits.
• You don't need a formal diagnosis to apply — significant, long-term symptoms that affect your work can be enough.
• It applies whether you're employed, self-employed, or about to start a new job.
• Awards can be worth a substantial amount per year, and once approved, support typically continues for a set period before a quick review.

Access to Work sits on top of the reasonable adjustments your employer is already legally required to make. It's for the extra, more specialist support that goes beyond that — like one-to-one ADHD coaching.

Am I eligible?

You're likely to qualify if:

• You're 16 or over and live in England, Scotland, or Wales (Northern Ireland runs its own version of the scheme)
• Your ADHD affects your ability to do your job — or the support you need isn't something your employer could reasonably provide themselves
• You have a paid job, are about to start one, or are returning to work (full-time, part-time, temporary, or self-employed all count)
• Your ADHD isn't a short-term issue (it needs to be a longer-term part of how you work)

You do not need to be on any disability benefits to apply, and you don't need your employer to suggest it — you can start the process yourself.

What can the grant pay for?

Access to Work can fund a range of practical support, including:

• One-to-one ADHD coaching (this is where I come in)
• Specialist equipment or software
• A support worker
• Travel costs to and from work, where getting there is affected by your ADHD
• Communication support, including for job interviews

How ADHD coaching fits in

Coaching funded through Access to Work isn't therapy, and it isn't generic productivity coaching. It's practical, ADHD-informed support built around your actual job — the systems, routines, and strategies that help you do your work in a way that fits your brain, not fights it.

That's exactly the kind of coaching I offer: sessions focused on focus and task initiation, planning and time blindness, workload and energy management, and communicating your needs with confidence at work.

How to apply

1. Check eligibility and start your application at gov.uk/access-to-work.
2. Speak with an assessor. They'll ask about your job, how ADHD affects your day-to-day work, and what support would help. Being specific here really matters — vague answers get vague outcomes.
3. Get your award decision. If approved, funding is agreed for the support you need, and — if you're employed — your employer often pays upfront and is then reimbursed.
4. Start coaching. Once your grant is confirmed, we begin working together, funded through your award.

A tip that makes a real difference: the more specific you can be about how ADHD shows up in your actual job tasks — not ADHD in general — the stronger your application. I can help you think this through before you apply.

How I can help

I offer:

• A free clarity call to talk through whether Access to Work is likely to apply to your situation
• Guidance on how to describe your needs clearly in your application
• ADHD coaching sessions once your grant is approved, tailored to what's actually getting in your way at work

Book your free clarity call