DWP handing free £69,260 for people on benefits who have 'temporary conditions'

The Department for Work and Pensions is handing people Access to Work grants worth a staggering £69,000. Access to Work can help you get or stay in work if you have a physical or mental health condition or disability, the DWP states.

The support you get will depend on your needs. Through Access to Work, you can apply for a grant to help pay for practical support with your work or support with managing your mental health at work or money to pay for communication support at job interviews,

The top rate from 8 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 is £69,260. If you need extra support but have reached or have nearly reached the maximum amount of your award, speak to your Access to Work case manager, the DWP has also said.

READ MORE: Burglar hunted after raid at West Bromwich business as police issue picture appeal

READ MORE: Greggs issues urgent warning to customers and urges 'return to store now'

READ MORE UK faces 4cm snow per hour this week with 'exact times' flurries fall announced

You can continue to get a grant of up to £69,260 a year. If you have not yet spent all the award, your case manager can work with you to agree how to spend the rest of the money. Access to Work could give you a grant to help pay for things like specialist equipment and assistive software and support workers, like a BSL interpreter, a job coach or a travel buddy.

It can also help with costs of travelling to work, if you cannot use public transport, adaptations to your vehicle so you can get to work and physical changes to your workplace. Your workplace can include your home if you work from there some or all of the time.

It does not matter how much you earn. If you get an Access to Work grant, it will not affect any other benefits you get and you will not have to pay it back. You or your employer may need to pay some costs up front and claim them back later.

You must have a disability, illness or health condition that means you need support to do your job. This can include a physical disability, for example if you’re hard of hearing or use a wheelchair, a learning disability or related condition, for example if you have Down’s syndrome, a developmental condition, like autism spectrum disorder, having ADHD or dyslexia, an illness such as diabetes or epilepsy or a temporary condition, like a broken leg.

It can also include a mental health condition, for example anxiety or depression. You do not need to be diagnosed with a condition to apply.