Access to Work

There are three things that need to happen before you receive the support you need. They are:

application
assessment
authorisation

You apply by completing a form. Make sure that you

are clear about what you want from Access to Work
are clear about where you are in terms of employment, either what your duties are at work or what stage you’re at in setting up or running your business

This will help the next stage in the process when …

You are assessed by someone from Access to Work. They may assess you purely on the basis of your form or they may want to talk to you directly. They may even want to meet with you. It can be really helpful to try and get a face to face meeting since this is your opportunity to make your case and explain why you need the support you’ve said you need

You are entitled to ask for a formal assessment if you think that this will help you be clear with Access to Work about your requirements

If you are not given a formal assessment, it may be a good idea to get help because once an assessment has been made it is very difficult to get it changed so

it is really important to get the assessment right first time

Then the support which Access to Work thinks you need will be authorised.  If you disagree with what support is authorised, you can ask for a formal review by a Reviewing Officer but there is no formal appeal procedure.