Access to Work and ADHD: what support you can get
How the Access to Work scheme and workplace adjustments can help adults with ADHD, what can be funded, and how to apply.
Work is where ADHD causes difficulty for many adults: deadlines, meetings, emails, open-plan noise. There's practical help available in the UK, from adjustments your employer makes to a government grant called Access to Work. Here is how both work.
Reasonable adjustments at work
Under the Equality Act 2010, employers must make reasonable adjustments for employees with a disability. ADHD can count as a disability if it has a substantial and long-term effect on your day-to-day activities. Many adjustments cost little or nothing:
- instructions and priorities in writing after meetings
- a quieter place to work, or noise-cancelling headphones
- regular short check-ins with a manager instead of one long review
- flexibility on start times or working from home on some days
- breaking large projects into smaller tasks with their own deadlines
- tools such as reminders, task managers or speech-to-text software
You can ask for adjustments without a formal diagnosis, although a diagnosis can make the conversation easier. It helps to describe the specific task that's hard and the specific change that would help.
What Access to Work is
Access to Work is a government scheme that helps disabled people and people with health conditions start or stay in work. It can pay towards support that goes beyond what counts as a reasonable adjustment for your employer. It's a grant, so you do not pay it back.
According to GOV.UK, ADHD is one of the conditions the scheme covers, and you do not need a diagnosis to apply.
Who can apply
In general you need to:
- be 16 or over
- be in paid work, or about to start, including self-employment
- live and work in England, Scotland or Wales (Northern Ireland has a separate scheme)
- have a condition that affects your ability to do your job
Check the full criteria on GOV.UK before you apply, as they can change.
What it can pay for
Support is based on your job and your needs, but for ADHD it often includes:
- Coaching focused on work, such as planning, prioritising and managing time
- Equipment and software, such as organisation tools or noise-cancelling headphones
- A support worker in some roles
- Mental health support at work, through a separate free service
How to apply
- Apply online on GOV.UK. You'll need your employer's details and a work contact.
- Have a conversation with an assessor. They ask about your job and what is hard. Be specific: "I miss details in long email threads and it has led to mistakes with client orders" is more useful than "I struggle to concentrate".
- Receive a decision. If approved, a letter sets out what is funded.
- Arrange the support. Usually your employer pays for it and claims the money back. If you're self-employed, you claim it yourself.
Applications can take several months, so apply early and keep copies of everything.
Tips
- Write down examples before the assessment. Two or three real situations where ADHD made a work task harder.
- Think about what would help most. The assessor will ask, and specific suggestions are easier to fund.
- Talk to your employer early, especially about how claims and invoices will work.
- If you're turned down, ask for the reasons in writing. You can ask for the decision to be looked at again.
This article is general information about workplace support in the UK. It is not legal or medical advice. Scheme rules change, so always check the current details on GOV.UK.