Access to Work can help you get or stay in work if you have a physical or mental health condition or disability. It can include a grant for practical support, support with your mental health at work, and money for communication support at job interviews (GOV.UK: Access to Work).
Who can get Access to Work?
For a grant or mental health support, GOV.UK says you must:
- have a physical or mental health condition or disability that means you need support to do your job or get to and from work
- be 16 or over
- be in paid work, or about to start or return to paid work in the next 12 weeks
- live and work in England, Scotland or Wales - Northern Ireland has its own scheme
You do not need to be diagnosed with a condition to apply. Communication support at job interviews has different eligibility rules (GOV.UK: Access to Work eligibility).
What can Access to Work pay for?
- specialist equipment and assistive software
- support workers, like a BSL interpreter, a job coach or a travel buddy
- costs of travelling to work, if you cannot use public transport
- adaptations to your vehicle so you can get to work
- physical changes to your workplace
An Access to Work grant will not affect any other benefits you get, and you will not have to pay it back. It does not pay for reasonable adjustments - those are changes your employer must legally make.
Mental health support
Support can include a tailored plan and one-to-one sessions with a mental health professional. You apply directly to one of the two providers named on GOV.UK, and you can only get it once.
In Northern Ireland
Access to Work (NI) is run by the Department for Communities and works differently (nidirect: Access to Work (NI)).
Questions people ask
Can I apply before I start a job?
Yes, for a grant or mental health support, if you're about to start or return to paid work in the next 12 weeks. Communication support at job interviews has different eligibility rules.
Does an Access to Work grant affect my benefits?
GOV.UK says it will not affect any other benefits you get, and you will not have to pay it back.
Can Access to Work help at a job interview?
It can help pay for communication support at a job interview - for example a BSL interpreter or lipspeaker if you're deaf or hard of hearing, or communication support if you have a physical or mental health condition or learning difficulty.
Sources
Last reviewed 20 October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.
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