Apply for communication support at a job interview if you have a disability or health condition (Access to Work)

Apply for communication support at a job interview if you have a disability or health condition (Access to Work)

You can apply to Access to Work to get money for communication support at a job interview.

Overview

You can apply to Access to Work to get money for communication support at a job interview.

The money pays for a communication support worker to go to your job interview with you.

You can use this service if you:

• are Deaf or hard of hearing and need a British Sign Language interpreter or lipspeaker
• have a physical or mental health condition or learning difficulty and need communication support

You need to apply before the interview takes place and tell us the total cost of the communication support you’ll need. For help with finding communication support and getting costs, you can contact your employment adviser or an organisation that specialises in supporting people with your needs.

We pay the costs after the job interview has taken place.

The money does not have to be paid back and will not affect your other benefits.

This guide is also available in British Sign Language (BSL).

There’s a different system in Northern Ireland.

Eligibility

To get communication support at a job interview you must:

• have a health condition or disability which means you need communication support at job interviews
• be 16 or over
• live in England, Scotland or Wales
• have an interview date for a paid job or apprenticeship in England, Scotland or Wales, or a Department for Education supported internship

When you cannot apply

You cannot apply if:

• you live in the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man
• your job interview has already taken place
• the interview is for a volunteer role
• you’re attending a job induction or job review

Apply

Check you’re eligible before you apply.

You can apply for communication support at a job interview online or by phone.

What you’ll need to provide

You’ll need to tell us:

• the name of the company your job interview is with
• the date of your job interview
• how long your job interview is expected to last
• the name and contact details for someone at the company – we’ll only contact this person after your job interview to confirm it has taken place

You’ll also need to tell us the total cost of your communication support at the job interview. Ask the person providing your support to include:

• support worker costs
• support worker travel costs
• administration costs
• VAT

Ref:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-communication-support-at-a-job-interview-if-you-have-a-disability-or-health-condition-access-to-work