Access to Work is a UK government scheme which, among other things, funds a wide variety of human support for disabled people to help them stay in work.
This includes Job Aides (often Virtual Assistants), ADHD Coaches, Workplace Strategy Coaches, and Assistive Technology Trainers.
By taking on Access to Work clients you can broaden your potential client base. You can also direct eligible clients to Access to Work to fund your services.
Although Access to Work is an amazing scheme that allows many of our clients to access support they otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford …
The more you understand the scheme and connect with others in the same position as you, the more confident you will feel that you are doing the right things for both yourself and your clients.
Join our professional Facebook community, for Access to Work Support Workers and other professionals working with claimants. Receive expert advice and peer support, join monthly networking sessions, and access job opportunities.
Finding Access to Work clients can be difficult. Our Access to Work Directory brings useful people, organisations, resources, and tools together in one place for potential clients to browse.
Expert advice sessions to help you understand any aspect of Access to Work and how best to support AtW clients. I can answer questions, help with problem-solving, support you with casework and signpost to further support.
A free professional group for anyone who works with (or is interested in working with) Access to Work claimants – you might call yourself a Virtual Assistant, Support Worker, Coach, Workplace Assessor, Tech Trainer or Adviser.
Join the group to get access to:
Whether you’re employed, a volunteer, self-employed, or a small business owner, this is the group for you if you want to ask questions, share experiences and best practices, and help Access to Work claimants.
For Virtual Assistants, Coaches, and anyone who provides other services to Access to Work claimants to increase your visibility and access new job opportunities.
This comprehensive Directory signposts Access to Work claimants to people, organisations, and resources they might find useful, either during their initial application or while implementing their award.
The Directory is split into the following categories:
Add yourself to the directory and get your business and services in front of the people you need to know about you – Access to Work claimants who have funding for a Support Worker or Coach.
The Directory is shared with my clients, the members of my free Facebook Group for AtW Claimants, and is on my website for visitors to browse.
Looking to understand Access to Work and how you can support your clients? Join my workshop on “Understanding Access to Work for Virtual Assistants.”
This session is perfect if you’re new to working with AtW clients. I’ll cover what Access to Work is, how VAs fit into the scheme, the services you can offer, and all the practicalities like invoicing, contracts, and getting paid.
Check out the upcoming workshop dates (need to hyperlink this)
*£27+ Eventbrite fees
It doesn’t matter whether you are just starting to think about working with Access to Work-funded clients or have been doing it for years.
Some examples of the kinds of things I can help with:
These short sessions are ideal for quick questions, understanding the scheme, finding clients, or getting signposting guidance.
Cost = £40
Paid on booking
Perfect for tackling multiple questions, addressing more complex issues, or discussing specific cases where you need extra support.
Cost = £65
Paid on booking
“I can’t overstate the value of the consultation”
I had the pleasure of receiving a 1:1 consultation with Alice during a very nerve-wracking time with supporting my coaching clients via the Access to Work scheme. I can’t overstate the value of the consultation – her deep knowledge of the system combined with a clear, compassionate and professional communication style helped me understand what’s been happening “behind the scene” and what I can do to influence the system to ensure clients’ claims get processed correctly and in a timely manner.
Highly recommended to anyone who feels stuck with navigating Access to Work scheme landscape, whether you’re a customer, supplier or employer.
You can have a one-off session, regular sessions or book in as-and-when you need advice for a particular thing.
Not currently – but I do have a plan to set up a scheme so get in touch if you’d be interested. I do a lot of informal signposting and recommendations, so let me know if you provide services that Access to Work claimants might find helpful.
Nope, there is no official list of AtW Support Workers or Coaches. You simply need to be able to provide the support that has been funded. I can help you understand how to find and accept Access to Work clients.
But you can register on the Sycamore Business AtW Directory which is where VAs are listed and Claimants can browse to find support workers.
Yes, I can add you to the Access to Work Directory which is shared with my clients and members of the Access to Work Claimants Facebook group. I can also direct you to organisations that take on Associates.
No, but I do recommend you understand your role as a Support Worker – it is different to working with the average client. It is also good practice to learn about the difficulties that your clients may face – through formal or self-learning.
I have been working as an Access to Work Support Worker since July 2022. My clients have all been Neurodivergent with long-term health conditions. I give daily advice on the scheme to claimants and other support workers.
I have been disabled for nearly 15 years which has made it very difficult to work – I even retired from my original career in the public sector. I have an Access to Work award and care passionately about helping other disabled people stay in work.
I would like to create a professional body for people who work with Access to Work in any capacity. In that body my ideal would be that we agree and sign up to professional standards around training, supervision and codes of conduct. That we collaborate to share trends, struggles and best practice. And that we unite our voices to lobby for a fairer, more accessible, more transparent Access to Work scheme that truly supports all disabled people in work.
Yes, I can work with you on your individual cases, giving you an expert second opinion and helping you build confidence that you are doing your best for your clients. We can problem-solve together.
If you are an organisation providing these services, the details on this page will be more suited to you.
You can join my free Facebook community ‘Access to Work Support Workers’. You can join in the online discussions as well as attend live networking events. I also recommend reaching out to individuals for ‘virtual coffees’.