June has been an interesting month for Access to Work. Whilst the planned changes to Operational Delivery (due early May) didn’t officially go ahead, we are continuing to see significant cuts in the type and amount of funding that is being awarded, both for new and renewal applications. Support Worker hours and hourly rates in particular continue to be significantly reduced, whilst it is now common for Assistive Technology and equipment to be refused on the basis that it should be provided by the employer as a Reasonable Adjustment (even when the claimant is self-employed!).
I had a lightbulb moment about a week ago and realised that I can submit Freedom of Information requests to try to get some answers about ‘policies’ which are not included in the Staff Guide. I’ve already submitted three and have a list of about 15 ready to go! I’m going to try and be restrained in case I get blacklisted and blocked 😆.
On a personal note, it was my birthday on the 19th June and I celebrated by coming down with a nasty bug. Whilst that was frustrating, it still did me a lot of good to have a week off work, not thinking about Access to Work (or at least trying not to). This month I have very exciting things happening like the replacement of my kitchen window and my dodgy garage door – which I’m sure you’ll all be keen to hear about in August’s newsletter!
Quick tips
- If you’re applying for a new role (even if it’s a move within the same organisation) apply to Access to Work before you start. It helps you avoid the worst of the wait times.
- If you’re unhappy with how a Case Manager has treated you, make a complaint and ask for the call recording to be reviewed. All calls made by Access to Work are recorded – just give the date, time, and name of who you spoke to.
- When asking for a Reconsideration, always provide extra information. Don’t assume the Case Manager will get in touch to ask why you disagree with the decision – they often won’t.
Backlogs and wait times
Unfortunately, Access to Work continues to have long wait times for almost everything!
Two notable exceptions are new applications made before starting the job, and Renewal applications.
These are the current wait times:
- New applications from anyone about to start employment – roughly 4-6 weeks.
- New applications from employees already in post – roughly 8 months.
- New applications from self-employed workers already in post – roughly 14 months – they are dealing with applications from late April/early May 204.
- Renewal applications – roughly 4-6 weeks.
- Requests for Reconsiderations – roughly 7 months.
Access to Work in more detail
This month, I’ve taken a deep dive into employment law!
A key takeaway from this is that implementing Access to Work funding can be considered a Reasonable Adjustment. Failure to do so in a reasonable timescale can lead, and has led, to more than one successful Employment Tribunal.
If you want to take a look yourself, these tribunal decisions give more detail.
What I’m up to in August and September
1. Regular Free Talks from NeuroRocket
Access to Work talks aimed at neurodivergent workers, run by NeuroRocket and delivered by me. There is always plenty of time to ask questions.
Don’t worry if you can’t make it on the day – you will be sent a link to the recording to view later.
Timetable
August 8th – Part 1: Before you apply
September 12th – Part 1: Before you apply
September 26th – Part 2: Preparing to meet your caseworker
2. Insight speaker at AT Workwise from TechEdology, 18th September
AT Workwise is a free online conference dedicated to discovering how Assistive Technology can be used to better the workplace for everyone. I’ll be delivering one of the Insight talks focusing on the ‘unwritten policies of Access to Work’ alongside Keynote speakers and demos from Assistive Technology suppliers.
Access to Work in the news
As the public consultation on reforming Access to Work closed, disability campaigner and journalist Dr Shani Dhanda met with some of the individuals already facing cuts to their support packages, and heard about how it has impacted their ability to carry on working.
Watch the 7-minute news item which aired on Channel 4 news on Monday 30th June
Follow the amazing disabled people involved in this news piece:
Campaign updates
The Access to Work Collective is running a campaign to bring media attention to the cuts Access to Work claimants are facing, and to put political pressure on MPs and the Department for Work and Pensions to pause and review those changes.
You can get involved by:
Spotlight on…
Brain in Hand
My regular monthly slot to showcase products, services, organisations, tools and strategies that you might find useful.
This month it’s Brain in Hand!
Brain in Hand is a unique combination of digital tools and personal coaching to help manage overwhelm and reduce anxiety in the workplace. It is designed to support people who are neurodivergent (e.g. autistic or ADHD) or have a mental health condition (e.g. anxiety or depression). It can be funded through Access to Work, or employers can pay for it directly as a Reasonable Adjustment.
I regularly recommend Brain in Hand for my self-employed clients who are overwhelmed and need to know they have support available whenever they need it. As part of the service, you get access to 24/7 human support to help you implement coping strategies during moments of crisis and overwhelm.
Get help from me
I help disabled workers, providers of funded products and services, and employers and other organisations understand and navigate the Access to Work scheme. I do this through advice, advocacy, casework, training, talks and consultancy.
Here are a couple of examples of the ways I can help you. See more at sycamorebusiness.co.uk.
Reconsiderations
Sadly, a serious area of focus for me a the moment is helping with Reconsideration emails. These need to be sent within four weeks of the date on the decision letter and ideally will include all the information and arguments your
Reconsideration Case Manager will need to overturn the decision you are unhappy with.
If you would like some extra help from me, I recommend either:
What’s the difference?
Well, I tend to say that if you want to write the email yourself but would like a bit of support identifying your key arguments, relevant policy and guidance and checking you’ve included everything you need, then book an advice session.
If you want to hand over the responsibility of writing the email to me, then book the package, and I will coordinate the whole thing, getting the right information from you and giving you instructions on what to send and when.
If you’re booking the Reconsideration Email Package, I always recommend that you contact me first to make sure I have the capacity to get it written in time for your deadline.
Access to Work guidance review and creation
Do you provide guidance on Access to Work to your clients, service users or employees?
The Access to Work scheme changes so rapidly that your guidance may well be incorrect, out-of-date, not useful and even misleading.
I can review your existing materials that you share, whether that’s webpages, webinars, factsheets, e-learning or internal guidance. I can either give you feedback or create entirely new resources, making sure that everything you share is correct and of value to the communities that you serve.
If you’re interested in this service, then please book a no-obligation chat with me
https://calendly.com/sycamorebusiness/discovery.
That’s all for now
See you next month,
Alice 😊