If an Access to Work application is successful, an Access to Work case worker will send a grant letter to both the employee and the line manager/agreed management contact (for academics this might be their Department, Centre or Institute manager. Once the grant letter is received, implementation of the recommended support can begin. This webpage provides tips for implementing support and purchasing software and equipment.
Access to Work recommendations are grouped into three main areas: Specialist Aids and Equipment, Support Workers and Travel to Work.
It is important to note that recommendations for support are wide ranging and unique to the individual’s needs. Where needed, line managers or agreed management contacts are encouraged to reach out to the Access to Work caseworker, the relevant HR Partner or the Staff Disability and Mental Health Adviser for help.
The Access to Work webpages and helpline also provides advice on all stages of the process. When contacting the helpline about a specific Access to Work grant some of the below security questions will be asked, so remember to have this employee’s information to hand (to ensure secure handling of this sensitive information refer to the LSE Data Protection Policy):
First steps
When the grant has been approved by Access to Work, the first steps to take are:
1. The employee and line manager/agreed management contact should meet to carefully read through any Access to Work documentation they have been sent to review the award. The Access to Work caseworker will usually have sent the following documentation by post (and possibly also by email):
- The workplace needs assessment to the employee (if there was one conducted)
- Grant approval letters
- List of quotes and recommended suppliers
- Relevant claim forms and also the New or amended details form which is required to be sent with the first claim form(s)
2. A trusted colleague familiar with purchasing items and One Finance processes should be asked to assist. This is especially important if the line manager or agreed management contacts are not best positioned to handle these tasks directly. If such support is not available in the employee’s area, please contact the relevant HR Partner or Staff Disability and Mental Health Adviser for advice.
3. Consider which suppliers to use to purchase the recommended support. Refer to the list of quotes and recommended suppliers provided by Access to Work and also the LSE One Finance List of Approved Suppliers for help with this process.
Further information is provided in the detailed guidance below.
If Access to Work offers funding for Specialist Aids and Equipment as part of their recommendations, this may include:
- Ergonomic or assistive office equipment, such as a specialist mouse, keyboard, monitor etc
- Assistive technology, such as dictation, mind mapping or time management software
- Assistive technology training to help the employee to use their equipment, technology or software effectively.
Access to Work may recommend ergonomic furniture and workstation equipment as a key element of an employee’s award. Their recommendations will be listed clearly on the grant letter and information about where to purchase the equipment from is found in the quotes and suppliers document. However, organisations can choose where to source these products. LSE has approved suppliers on One Finance who can provide a wide range of ergonomic equipment and furniture; see the LSE Approved Disability Support Suppliers or check One Finance.
If what is needed is not available through the providers approved on One Finance, it may be appropriate to use a Purchasing Card or to set up a new supplier to use one of the recommended suppliers offered by Access to Work. Refer to guidance on purchase orders and setting up a new supplier guidance provided by Finance Division.
Any general queries relating to purchasing items at LSE contact Finance.Division.Purchasing@lse.ac.uk
It is important to ensure any receipts, invoices or confirmations of support sessions delivered are kept together to make the claims process easier. The Access to Work grant tracker document may be helpful if there are several items and services to arrange and claim back costs for.
Employers are responsible for insuring any items purchased through an Access to Work grant. It is especially important that items valued over £2,000 are covered by insurance. For any questions regarding insurance coverage for these items, please contact secdiv.insurance@lse.ac.uk.
If an employee is leaving the School they should arrange to meet with their line manager or key contact person to discuss:
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What equipment or items the employee has that may have been funded by LSE or Access to Work (either wholly or in part).
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What the employee would like to take with them and whether insurance requirements need to be considered. Depending on the nature of the item, it may be possible for the employee to take items or equipment with them. However, given items are purchased by LSE this should be agreed with the line manager or key contact prior to them leaving the School. Managers can contact their HR Partner and secdiv.insurance@lse.ac.uk for advice.
If approval is gained for any data bearing devices (e.g. laptops) to be retained by an employee on leaving LSE, the device will need to be returned to DTS in the first instance to securely wiped and returned to factory settings to be removed from the LSE management systems.
Data and Technology Services (DTS) offer support and advice with procurement and installation of items included in Access to Work grants. Once the grant letter is received it is recommended that an email with ‘Access to Work’ in the subject line is sent to it.servicedesk@lse.ac.uk with a full list of any IT equipment/software that has been approved with the relevant budget code. DTS will then be able to advise on next steps.
It is important to note that occasionally software or equipment that is not available from LSE’s approved suppliers or that cannot be made available to School staff is recommended by Access to Work. For example, they may recommend a particular assistive software that LSE cannot support due to licensing and data protection considerations. An example of this are e-reader devices, such as Remarkable Tablets, Kindle, etc. Please see this webpage (under the section Can I order an e-reader/notepad device other than an Apple IPad) for more information.
Any IT equipment recommended by Access to Work must also meet the LSE minimum requirement in terms of specification and warranty.
In such instances asking for advice from DTS by logging a query through the IT Service Desk may be needed to help identify alternatives that provides the functionality and specifications required and meets LSE policies.
The webpage Ordering IT Equipment offers more detailed information.
Access to Work normally provides funding for assistive technology training whenever an employee's grant includes assistive equipment or software, especially if the employee is unfamiliar with the recommended tools. Check the quotes and suppliers information that will have been sent with the grant letter for recommended suppliers. Please reach out to the Access to Work Caseworker or Staff Disability and Mental Health Adviser (l.h.mu@lse.ac.uk) with any queries.
If the grant does not include training for the assistive software or equipment but this is required, the employee and/or line manager/agreed management contact should go back to the Access to Work caseworker (either by emailing them directly or calling the Access to Work helpline) to ask for this to be included.
Access to Work may recommend a support worker to help employees with certain tasks at work. This could be someone to help with:
- Workplace strategy coaching or mentoring
- Administrative tasks
- Note taking
- Reading
- Interpretation (e.g. British Sign Language interpreter)
- A travel buddy to help with getting to work
If Access to Work decide that a support worker is needed, this may involve a single support worker, or multiple support workers to address a range of needs.
The Access to Work case manager will confirm what has been agreed in the grant letter and provide a list of recommended suppliers for the type of support offered. If not included this can be requested this by email to the Access to Work Caseworker or refer to the list of LSE Approved Disability Support Suppliers or check One Finance.
Employees can choose which supplier to provide the required support workers by:
- Checking the amount Access to Work has provided for the support on the grant letter.
- Reviewing the Quotes and Suppliers information sent by the Access to Work Case Manager and also the LSE Approved Disability Support Suppliers list.
- Contacting suppliers directly to check:
- What they can offer depending on the amount of funding included in the Access to Work grant.
- How their services work.
- If they have a coach to suit the employee's particular needs.
Once the employee has decided which supplier they wish to use, the line manager/agreed management contact should then:
1. Email the supplier with the employee’s details and Access to Work grant information is required.
2. Raise a purchase order number for the full amount funded (check the grant letter) and goods receipt once sessions are delivered.
3. Claim back funds from the Access to Work grant – see the next section of this toolkit for more information.
If, as a consequence of their disability or health condition, an employee can’t travel to work and during work using public transport, Access to Work may pay towards any required travel costs . Often this means paying for the additional cost of getting a taxi to work rather than using public transport.
Usually, the Access to Work case manager will agree the public transport cost of standard mileage rate you would pay if travelling to work without support. The grant amount will then cover the additional cost of a taxi (or other appropriate transport).
Employees often self-manage this element of their Access to Work grant by:
- Finding a local taxi company and setting up an arrangement with them based on their work schedule.
- Claiming back additional cost of getting a taxi using the Access the Work online claims portal.
Employees who may struggle financially to cover upfront costs for travelling to work and wait for reimbursement can discuss with their line manager who can help explore options. Managers can consult with their HR Partner or the Staff Disability and Mental Health Adviser for advice and support about managing this element of the scheme.
See the next section of the Access to Work toolkit for information about the claims process.
Last updated: December 2024