Work

Before you decide to go back to work you should research the subject fully. Questions you might ask yourself include:

• Where do you want to work?
• What sort of work do you want to do?
• What support will you need?
• What is your financial position and how could that change?
• Where can I get help in job seeking?
• Should I tell my prospective employer about my mental illness?

You can get help in answering these and other work related questions by contacting your local Jobcentre Plus .

If you are claiming certain incapacity related benefits such as Employment and Support Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Income Support (on the grounds of incapacity) or Severe Disablement Allowance you could contact your local Disability Employment Adviser based at your local JobCentre Plus office.

A Disability Employment Adviser could suggest a number of different schemes to help you get back to work. There are various schemes, programmes, organisations and training providers that can help people into work. Some of these will be a mandatory requirement of a benefit claim; others are schemes that you can volunteer for. There is a summary below of the options that are available through Jobcentre Plus.

Access to Work

Access to Work is a scheme designed to help if you are in a paid job, about to start a job or work trial or are self employed and have health or disability needs that affect your ability to do your job. It is a service provided by Jobcentre Plus which gives you and your employer advice and support with costs which may arise because of your needs, for example assistance with reasonable adjustments.

Work Programme

The aim of the work programme is to provide personalised support to those claiming Job Seekers Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance. The work programme is mandatory for some claimants at certain points in a claim and voluntary for others. Refferals to the Work programme are made through Jobcentre Plus and is delivered by a number of different organisations depending on the area you live in.

Once you are on the work programme you will have regular meetings with your provider. The provider should take an individually tailored approach to getting you back into work, and should help with every aspect of finding a job from providing information about different roles and industries to improving application writing and interview techniques.   

Work Choice

Work choice is a programme aimed to help people with disabilities get into or stay in work when the Work Programme or Access to Work is not appropriate. Work Choice should also give employers the support they need to employ more disabled people.

There are three sections of Work Choice called modules and depending on your current employment status you will either start on module 1 or 2.

The first module (work entry support) is for people who are currently looking for employment and need help getting into supported or unsupported work. This module will last up to six months.

The second module (in work support) is to help people start work and stay in their job. This module will last for up to two years.

The third module (longer term in work support) is similar to the second module but for people who need further support. This module can last for an indefinite period.

The only way to access work choice is through a referral from the disability employment adviser (DEA) at your local jobcentre plus, so if you are interested in this scheme, you should make an appointment to speak to your nearest DEA.