Funding, support and workplace action

Access to Work and Reasonable Adjustments

Access to Work can help with disability-related workplace support, but it does not replace an employer’s responsibility to consider reasonable adjustments. Organisations still need clear records, ownership and follow-through.

Keep the distinction clear

Access to Work
Workplace adjustments
Employer process
Review

Funding support and adjustment management are connected, but not the same.

What Access to Work is

Access to Work is a UK government scheme that can provide support for disabled people or people with health conditions in work or moving into work.

It may help with practical support such as equipment, support workers, travel or communication support, depending on the person’s circumstances and current scheme rules.

For current official guidance, users should check GOV.UK.

How it relates to reasonable adjustments

Access to Work and reasonable adjustments are connected, but they are not the same thing.

Access to Work

A government support scheme that may help with practical costs or support.

Reasonable adjustments

Changes employers must consider to remove or reduce disability-related barriers.

The overlap

Access to Work may support some practical solutions, but employers still need to manage requests, decisions and workplace implementation.

Where confusion happens

Waiting for Access to Work before acting

Employers may still need to consider reasonable adjustments while applications are ongoing.

Treating funding as the whole process

Funding support does not manage ownership, implementation or review.

Losing the support record

Reports, emails and recommendations can become scattered.

Missing review points

Support may need to change as the role, equipment or circumstances change.

What to record

Keeping clear records ensures support is consistent and follow-through is managed.

Access needs

What barriers or support needs have been identified.

Suggested support

What equipment, service or adjustment may help.

Employer action

What the organisation needs to do.

Access to Work status

Whether an application, recommendation or award is relevant.

Ownership

Who owns each next step.

Review date

When support should be revisited.

Health adjustment passport connection

Some people searching Access to Work also search for health adjustment passport information.

A health adjustment passport can help someone think through support needs before work or when moving jobs. AXS Passport is different: it is a digital accessibility and inclusion passport designed to help organisations manage access needs and workplace adjustments over time.

How AXS Passport helps

AXS Passport helps connect support information to workplace action.

Access profile

People can describe relevant access needs and preferences.

Adjustment requests

Workplace support can be requested, reviewed and managed.

Records and ownership

Recommendations, actions and next steps can be easier to maintain.

Review

Support can be checked as roles, equipment or needs change.

Turn support information into action

AXS Passport helps organisations manage access needs, adjustment requests, records and review alongside wider workplace support.

Frequently asked questions

No. Access to Work is a government support scheme. Reasonable adjustments are changes employers may be legally required to make to reduce disability-related barriers.