Is your hearing loss affecting your ability to work effectively? If so, you may be eligible for an Access to Work grant. This government-funded scheme provides financial support to those with a disability or health condition including people who are hearing impaired or deaf. The grant is designed to pay for practical support to enable you to either start working, stay in work, move into self-employment or start a business. Each grant is tailored to the individual’s needs but can be used to pay for a wide variety of items including:
• Special equipment
• Adaptations to the equipment you use
• Fares to work if you can’t use public transport
• Communication support at an interview for a new job
The grant is ideal for people suffering from hearing loss as there are so many products on the market which can help in the work environment. These include conversation amplifiers to help you hear in meetings or amplified telephones to make communication easier and less-stressful. The grant can also be used to purchase other practical items including smoke alarms that flash and vibrating wrist bands for fire alarms. It can also be used to help pay towards the costs of a support worker such as a BSL interpreter for meetings or a palantypist (who types what people are saying).
An Access to Work grant does not exclusively need to be spent on products in the workplace – it can also be used to meet the costs of equipment to help you get to work. This includes vibrating pillow alarms – debunking the excuse that you didn’t hear your alarm!
At Hearing Healthcare Centre, we stock a huge range of products to help you get the most out of your work and home life. If you would like some advice about what products would work best for you before applying for an Access to Work grant we would be delighted to talk you through the various options. Simply contact us on 01223 360700 and arrange to speak to one of our experienced audiologists.
In the meantime to find out if you are eligible for an Access to Work grant you can contact the scheme via one of the following methods: email – atwosu.london@dwp.gsi.gov.uk, telephone: 0345 268 8489 or textphone: 0345 608 8753
