Supported Internships and Access to Work

Young people on or about to start the work experience placement of a supported internship, or traineeship with a disability or health condition, can apply to the Department for Work and Pensions' Access to Work fund.

Young people can apply for:

• funding of travel (providing assistance for additional travel costs to and from their work experience placement because of their disability);
• the costs of job coach support; and
• specialist equipment for days that a young person is at the employer's premises.

Access to Work does not have a set hourly rate for job coaching support. Access to Work can provide funding for 26-weeks of intensive job coaching support, at which point the intensive support should begin to taper. Where the customer may need longer than 26-weeks of intensive support, there is discretion to allow a further 13-weeks. This must be discussed and agreed with the adviser.

Completed applications should be posted to the dedicated Access to Work team at the Wolverhampton address on the application form.

The application process for those on supported internships and traineeships wishing to apply to Access to Work was revised in September 2020. Changes include:

• the provision for a supported employment provider to make an application on behalf of an education provider (education providers can still make the claim if they would like to do so);
• customers (or their appointee) have to sign the application and claim forms
• DWP will issue declaration forms that also have to be signed by the customer and returned.

Attached to this page are process flowcharts and the form for applying for Access to Work funding. Applications can be submitted up to 6 months in advance of a placement start.

Wales

New processes apply in Wales where the Additional Learning Needs plans are in place. At the moment, eligibility for Access to Work is subject to assessment by a third party.

The attachments below are up to date, to the best of our knowledge, and apply to all Supported Internship Access to Work applications and claims.