Work and Access - Personal Reader Grants

Work and Access is a scheme to support inclusive employment by offering funding to adjust workplaces and make them more accessible for people with disabilities.

Funding is available to qualifying job candidates, employees, self-employed people, and employers.

There are 7 categories of Work and Access support:

• Workplace Needs Assessment
• Communication Support
• In-Work Support
• Personal Reader
• Work Equipment
• Workplace Adaptation
• Disability Equality and Inclusion Training

This page explains the Work and Access supports available for personal readers. Depending on your needs, you may be entitled to more than one support at the same time. Check the Work and Access Programme details in full before you apply for any support.

A personal reader is a person who helps a blind or visually impaired employee with work-related reading.

Personal readers can either be hired directly or contracted through a business (once it is registered and tax compliant).

A personal reader does not need to be professionally qualified.

Work and Access will pay up to €12,500 per year towards the cost of a personal reader.

The grant pays an hourly rate equal to the current minimum wage. If a reader with technical qualifications is needed, the hourly rate will be decided based on the particular circumstances of the case.

The personal reader must not replace any reading help normally given by work co-workers, relatives, or friends.

If you have a visual impairment or are blind and need help with reading at work, you may be eligible to apply. Only an employee or self-employed person can apply.

To get a Personal Reader support you must first meet the general eligibility requirements for Work and Access.

You must be able to give evidence confirming your condition, unless you have been getting a long-term disability payment.

You may need a Workplace Needs Assessment if you need a reader for work. If you need a reader during a recruitment process, you won’t need a Workplace Needs Assessment.

Work and Access is only available to private sector, community and voluntary sector and not-for-profit organisations. Public sector employers should cover the costs of any necessary adaptations or support for public sector workers.

If you are a student at college or university and are having difficulty with reading because of a visual impairment, you should get in touch with the Disability Liaison Officer for your college or university.

You must find the personal reader yourself. There are a few ways to advertise for the services of a personal reader, such as, placing an ad on an online job site or community notice board.

You can apply yourself or ask an advocate to apply on your behalf.

Step 1: Complete the application form

• Request the WA1 form from your local Intreo Office or download it from gov.ie.
• If you are unsure about the supports needed, you only complete the relevant section on the WA1 Form.
• Provide quotes to support your application (see Quotes in Appendix 6 of the Operational Guidelines).

Step 2: Eligibility check

• Send your completed WA1 Form by post to Work and Access Section, Central Team, Finglas Intreo Centre, PO Box 13736, Freepost FDN7696, Dublin 11
• Your eligibility will be checked by the Work and Access Section

Step 3: Assessment and approval

• An officer will contact you directly to discuss your application.
• If eligible, you will be told about next steps and any additional sections of the application form to complete.
• Approval for eligibility does not guarantee funding.
• Final approval will be made after you meet specific requirements, set by Department officers.

If you have a visual impairment or are blind, staff in your local Intreo Centre or Citizens Information centre will be pleased to help you complete the application form.

Appeals

Work and Access is an administrative scheme so you have no right to appeal a particular decision on your application.

If you are not happy with the decision, you can ask to have your case reviewed by another DSP officer who was not involved in the original decision.

Write to the Department of Social Protection within 21 days of the decision, explaining why you think the decision is wrong and provide any proof you have to support your argument.

If your application is approved, you will need to complete and return a Personal Reader support Claim Form at the end of each month when using this support.

The funding is paid directly to the service provider employed or contracted to act as a personal reader.

For more information about the Work and Access programme:

• Read the Department of Social Protection Operational Guidelines for the Work and Access Programme
• Visit your local Intreo Centre
• Email: WorkandAccess@welfare.ie
• Write to: Work and Access Section, Central Team, Finglas Intreo Centre, PO Box 13736, Freepost FDN7696, Dublin 11