Access To Work Question

shrike

Hello! Sorry, this is sort of a hypothetical situation at the moment but I've been trying to wrap my ahead around it so that I'm properly prepared.

I've been too poorly to work for some time, however I have recently started to improve and am looking to apply to some local admin roles. I am an ambulatory wheelchair user due to chronic pain & a minor spinal injury, however because of very long NHS delays in my area I've never had an official wheelchair assessment and currently use a cheap one I was able to purchase myself.

I know that in order to work I would need a properly fitted wheelchair, with a smaller footprint and that can be relied on for active use. If I were to be offered the job then I would need an appropriate wheelchair, but I'm not sure whether Access To Work would help me to fund it.

I know that there may not be an exact answer, but has anyone seen success in Access To Work helping to pay for a properly suited self-propel wheelchair? Would I need to wait until next year when I can finally get my wheelchair services assessment? Am I likely to be denied a wheelchair because I am not fully paralysed, even though without a wheelchair there's no way I would be able to work? (It's especially important for me as the roles I'm applying for are seated at desks anyway, but standing up from these chairs would be very difficult foe me)

Thank you for your help!

Alex_Alumni

Hello there @shrike and welcome to the community, thank you for your query. 

Speaking from my own experience, I have friends/colleagues who have used Access To Work to help with the costs of a personal assistant at work, and to accompany them to/from work, as a wheelchair user themselves.

Theoretically, you could say a more bespoke wheelchair is a type of 'specialist equipment', but it all depends on what you and your employer agree to be 'reasonable' for the role. 

There's more information on the types of things Access to Work will and won't fund over on Scope's website. 

You might like to see if Scope's Support to Work scheme could also help you with your Access to Work application, as well as provide any other guidance or information you might need. 

Let us know how things go, and please ask if you need a hand with anything else   

wilko82

Hi, @shrike
I got my occupational therapist to refer me for a wheelchair at the nearest hospital which for me was preston. They either can give you a hospital style wheelchair NHS or can give you a voucher towards one of your choice which I think was £250. I've also used access to work for equipment but not sure I they'd fund a wheelchair.  Definitely contact your local OT community team. 🙂