David Stuart Access to Work

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David StuartAccess to Work
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Talk will cover

• Overview of DWP and Jobcentre Plus
• Jobcentre Plus services for disabled people
• Access to Work (AtW)
• Current developments in AtW

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Department for Work and Pensions
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Jobcentre Plus

• Agency of DWP from April 2002
• Merged Employment Service and Benefits Agency
• Contributes to Governments aims of tackling
  poverty, reducing worklessness, promoting growth
  and opportunity
• Key objectives
• Help people to find work
• Fill employers vacancies quickly and effectively
• Help disadvantaged groups move closer to the
  labour market

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Jobcentre Plus Services for Disabled People

• Disability Employment Advisers (DEAs) in
  Jobcentres
• Work Psychologists
• Access to Work
• Work Preparation
• New Deal for Disabled People
• WORKSTEP
• Job Introduction Scheme

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Access to Work

• Access to Work helps greater independence
• work for those who can and
• work being the best route to inclusion for
  disabled people.

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Background on ATW

• began in June 1994
• is an arrangement under the Employment and
  Training Act 1973
• replaced and expanded on several smaller schemes
  providing support to disabled people
• focuses help on the needs of the individual.

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Aims

• To provide practical advice and support to
  disabled people in, or about to start, paid
  employment to help overcome work related
  obstacles resulting from disability.
• To encourage employers to recruit and retain
  disabled people by offering practical help.

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Key Principles

• To meet the additional employment costs resulting
  from disability and
• Cost sharing

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Access to Work grants

• Access to Work pays a percentage of the total
  cost of approved support depending on how long
  the disabled person has been in work, up to 100

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100 Grants

• 100 grants are available for
• unemployed people starting a job
• all self employed people
• people working for an employer for less than 6
  weeks when they first apply.
• Also, approved costs for all
• support workers
• travel to work and
• communication support at interview.

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Cost Sharing

• applies to disabled employees who have been in
  employment for more than 6 weeks when they first
  apply
• applies only to Special Aids and Equipment and
  Adaptations to Premises elements

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Cost Sharing

• First 300 paid by the cost sharer
• Access to Work pays 80 of approved costs between
  300 and 10,000 ceiling and
• 100 of approved costs above the 10,000 ceiling.

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Types of Help

• Special Aids and Equipment
• Provides aids and equipment in the workplace
  which are needed as a result of disability.
• Adaptations to Premises
• Helps make the building or work environment
  accessible for a disabled employee.

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Types of Help (cont..)

• Travel to Work
• Provides a grant where a person cannot use
  available public transport as a result of
  disability.
• Support Workers
• Provides human support in the workplace to allow
  the disabled person to access their job.

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Types of help (cont)

• Communication Support at Interview
• A grant for an interpreter or communicator for
  job interviews

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Access to Work delivery

• Access to Work is delivered through
• Access to Work Business Centres located in
  England, Scotland and Wales and
• Specialist Access to Work Advisers

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Access to Work assessment

• Identify any difference between work requirements
  and individuals capabilities
• Identify possible means for addressing any
  difference (eg job re-design, adjustment of
  working hours, help within scope of ATW funding)
• Evaluate ATW help options for sufficiency and
  value for money
• Recommend ATW help in generic terms might
  include assistive technology, support worker

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Numbers Helped and Spend
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Current developments in Access to Work

• Closer working with customers and employers in
  continuous improvement
• Improved IT in support of ATW administration
• Improved staff training
• Improved information to customers and employers

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How to apply for Access to Work

• Through the Business Centres you can apply for
  Access to Work
• Face to face with an Adviser, and
• By
• telephone,
• e-mail,
• fax and
• Text-phone

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Internet information on ATW

• Type www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk
• Click Looking for a job
• Click Help for disabled people
• Click Access to Work