Access to Work and ADHD coaching

How the process actually runs

1. 1

   Check you are eligible

   Access to Work is for people aged 16 or over who are in paid work, self-employed, or starting a job or work trial within the next 12 weeks, and who have a disability or long-term health condition that affects their work. ADHD can qualify. You do not need to have told your employer first, and there is no requirement to be receiving benefits.

2. 2

   Apply to DWP yourself

   You apply directly on GOV.UK — an employer, coach or provider cannot apply for you. You will be asked about your job, the difficulties you experience at work and the support you think would help. Naming coaching or strategy support at this stage makes it far more likely to be considered.

3. 3

   Talk to your adviser

   An Access to Work adviser contacts you and may arrange an assessment. This is where you describe day-to-day difficulties in concrete terms: missed deadlines, task switching, planning, prioritising, meeting notes, follow-through. Vague descriptions get vague awards.

4. 4

   Receive your grant letter

   If support is agreed, DWP sends a grant letter setting out what is funded, how many sessions or hours, over what period, and how payment works. Read it before you book anything — it is the document that decides what you can claim back.

5. 5

   Start coaching and claim

   You book your sessions, we invoice as set out in your grant letter, and you claim through the Access to Work claim process. We provide dated invoices and attendance records for every session so your claim has the paperwork it needs.

Full official detail is on GOV.UK: Access to Work overview, eligibility, what you'll get and how to apply.

What ADHD Tribe provides

• A free written quote with session length, number of sessions and total cost.
• Dated invoices for every session, in a format suited to a claim.
• Attendance records and a plain summary of what each block of sessions covers.
• Sessions delivered personally by Khalid Anwar, online, UK-wide.

Most workplace claims are quoted against the ADHD Workplace Progress Programme (twelve sessions, £1,080), with the six-session ADHD Momentum Programme (£570) quoted where a smaller block is agreed. We will quote any number of sessions your grant letter specifies.

Access to Work is not the same as reasonable adjustments

Under the Equality Act 2010 your employer has its own duty to make reasonable adjustments, and that duty is not replaced by a grant. Access to Work is intended for support that goes beyond those adjustments. If you are not sure which is which, start with your rights at work as a disabled person on GOV.UK.

Access to Work and ADHD: common questions

Can Access to Work pay for ADHD coaching?

Access to Work grants can cover support that helps you do your job, and ADHD coaching or strategy sessions are one form of support that can be included. Whether it is funded, and how many sessions are agreed, is decided entirely by DWP on the basis of your application and assessment. ADHD Tribe is a coaching provider, not part of the scheme, and cannot approve, guarantee or influence an award.

Do I need an ADHD diagnosis to apply?

No. Access to Work is based on how a disability or long-term health condition affects your work, not on holding a particular diagnosis. Adults on an NHS assessment waiting list can apply. Evidence such as a diagnosis letter can help an adviser understand your situation, but it is not a formal requirement of the scheme.

Who applies — me or my employer?

You apply yourself on GOV.UK. Your employer cannot apply on your behalf, and neither can a coaching provider. Your employer may be asked to contribute towards certain costs depending on their size and the type of support, which the grant letter will set out.

How long does an Access to Work decision take?

Waiting times vary and DWP does not publish a guaranteed turnaround, so plan for it to take weeks rather than days. Apply as early as you can, particularly if you are starting a new role. If you want to begin coaching before a decision, you can pay for sessions directly and continue on the grant if it is approved.

What does ADHD Tribe provide for an Access to Work claim?

A written quote before you apply, dated invoices for every session, attendance records, and a plain summary of what the sessions cover. We do not complete your application, submit claims on your behalf or contact DWP for you.