Work and Access - Workplace Needs Assessment Grant

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 Workplace Needs Assessment Grant. 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.

The Workplace Needs Assessment Grant provides up to €2,500 to help people with disabilities or health conditions identify the supports they need in their workplace to do their job effectively.

A workplace needs assessment helps identify necessary adjustments to remove barriers you may face while doing your job or returning to work.

The assessment can cover working at a business premises, at home, or from a remote working location.

You must get a specialist to do the assessment.

Communication support for the assessment

If you need communication support during the assessment, you can apply for it (for example an interpreter).

To qualify for communication support, you must meet one of the following criteria:

• Be deaf or hard of hearing, needing an Irish Sign Language interpreter, lip-speaker, or other deaf interpreter.
• Have a disability or health condition that requires communication support.

New or existing employees, employers or self-employed people can apply for funding. You can make the application yourself or someone else can apply on your behalf.

How to qualify

To qualify for the grant, you must meet the general eligibility criteria for the Work and Access programme.

To apply for the Workplace Needs Assessment Grant, you must find a suitably qualified and experienced assessor (see list below).

The assessor should have:

• Relevant qualifications or experience
• A track record in occupational evaluation or workplace assessment
• Up-to-date knowledge of disabilities and appropriate supports, including the latest technologies.

Qualified specialists

• Occupational therapists
• Occupational psychologists
• Occupational physicians
• Occupational health nurses or other occupational health professionals
• Rehabilitation nurses
• Ergonomics specialists
• Chartered physiotherapists

Assessors should be registered with a relevant professional body such as the Register of Health and Social Care Professionals (CORU) or The Association of Occupational Therapists.

Assessors from the employer’s staff or associate company can carry out the assessment but are not eligible for funding.

The assessment should be completed by the employer, the employee, and their advocate or representative, if appropriate.

Part 1 – Assessment

The assessor evaluates the employee's specific needs, the job role, disability, and workplace environment when assessing the tasks involved.

Part 2 – Report

The assessment and recommendations should:

• Outline each barrier and make evidence-based recommendations
• Identify necessary accommodations and training required, for example, assistive technology, hiring a Personal Reader, or In-Work Support
• Include additional quotes for recommended supports that require funding to ensure cost-effectiveness

To implement the recommendations, the employer and employee may get one or more of the support elements available through the Work and Access Programme.

Appendix 6 of the Department of Social Protection (DSP) Operational Guidelines on Work and Access covers a Workplace Needs Assessment Report Template.

The completed report must be sent to the Department of Social Protection.

You can get up to €2,500 to cover the costs of hiring a specialist for the assessment.

What costs are covered?

The grant can be used to pay for:

• Eligible costs to carry out the assessment
• Up to 10 hours of communication support for contact hours with the specialist, if needed (for example, an interpreter)

The Department of Social Protection (DSP) is developing an online application process, which will be available soon.

In the meantime, follow the process below.

Individuals

To apply for any of the supports available through the Work and Access Programme, follow these steps:

Step 1: Complete the application form

• Request the form from your local Intreo Office or download it from gov.ie.
• If you are unsure about the support 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 the 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.

Employers

To apply for the Work and Access Programme as an employer, follow these steps:

Step 1: Complete the application form

• Request the form from your local Intreo Office or download it from gov.ie.
• Complete the WA2 Form.

Step 2: Submission and support details

• Send your completed WA2 Form by post to Work and Access Section, Central Team, Finglas Intreo Centre, PO Box 13736, Freepost FDN7696, Dublin 11.

Step 3: Assessment and processing

• A designated Employer Relations Officer (ERO) will manage your application.
• You will be contacted directly to discuss available options and necessary documents.
• Final approval is required before purchasing any support.
• Applications submitted after purchasing supports cannot be processed or paid.

Appeals

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

If you are unhappy 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.

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