Access to Work
Neurodivergent and running your own business?
If you’re ADHD, autistic or dyslexic and self-employed, this page is for you.
You may be able to get help towards the cost of support through a government scheme called Access to Work. For some people, that support is a PA. Here’s how it works, in plain English.
What Access to Work is
Access to Work is a grant from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). It’s for people whose disability or health condition means they need support to do their job.
It isn’t a benefit and it isn’t a loan, so you don’t pay it back. It covers England, Scotland and Wales.
Who can apply
gov.uk gives ADHD, autism and dyslexia as examples. You don’t need a diagnosis to apply, although your case manager can ask for evidence.
If you’re self-employed, you can apply too. You’ll need your UTR number (your Unique Taxpayer Reference from HMRC). You’ll also need either a turnover above the yearly threshold set out on gov.uk or, if your business is new, a business plan.
What it can help pay for
Access to Work can help pay for a support worker. For some people, that’s a PA.
It covers support you need because of your condition, not the general costs of running a business. Every award is decided case by case, so what you’re offered depends on your situation.
How it works
Apply
You apply through gov.uk.
Talk to a case manager
They’ll talk through your work and the support you need, and they may ask for evidence.
Receive your award
If your application is approved, you’ll be told what Access to Work can help pay for.
Choose your support and claim the cost back
You arrange the support yourself. You may need to pay first and then claim the cost back.
Three things to know before you start
Apply before you hire
Access to Work can’t pay for support that was already in place before you applied. If you’re thinking about working with a PA, apply first.
It takes time
Applications aren’t quick, so it’s worth starting early rather than waiting until you’re stretched.
Keep every invoice
You may have to pay first and claim it back, so keep every invoice and receipt.
Where I come in
I’m a PA, and I’m happy to work with clients who use Access to Work. Often the work itself isn’t the hard part. It’s getting started, keeping track, and the admin that quietly piles up around it all. That’s the bit I take on.
Getting started
Working alongside you. Some jobs are easier to start when someone else is there. We can book a quiet co-working session on video, each getting on with our own work, and the email you’ve been avoiding finally gets sent.
Gentle nudges, not alarms. No rigid deadlines or reminders that make you jump. I check in kindly, and “Can you hold onto this until next week?” is a perfectly good answer.
One step at a time. I can turn a to-do list the length of your arm into small, clear steps. Then we put them on the days you’ll have the energy for them, rather than all on Monday.
Keeping the day running
The inbox and the diary. I sort the inbox, flag what genuinely needs you, and keep your diary in a shape you can actually live with, with breathing space instead of back-to-back days.
The jobs that drain you. Chasing an unpaid invoice, replying to a complaint, the paperwork you keep moving to tomorrow. Those can come to me, so they stop hanging over you.
Systems that suit you. Simple filing and reminders built around how you already work, not how a productivity book says you should.
I send one invoice at the end of each month, showing what the time went on, which makes it easier to keep track of for your claim.
If you’ve been awarded support, or you’re thinking about applying and want to know whether we’d work well together, get in touch.
This page is general information, not advice. The rules change, so gov.uk/access-to-work (opens in a new tab) is always the final word. Last checked October 2026.