Anyone applied for Access To Work funding?

[shasmac]

I've applied for this funding to help change my car to an automatic and for voice recognition software for work. Was just wondering if anyone has had their funding approved for something similar. I've never applied for anything like this before but felt the woman doing the telephone interview sounded quite positive. Don't want to count my chickens, etc, lol but there's no way I can afford an automatic car and my job would be near impossible without driving.

[earthwitch]

I didn't know they would help with an automatic car - let us know how you get on, because I really need to change my car to an automatic and I definitely use mine for my work (not just to get to and from). I had thought that the only way you could get assistance with cars was through motability, for which you need high level mobility DLA, but I could be wrong on that.

I did use them a few years ago. They were quite helpful and offered me taxis, voice recognition software (which I didn't take because I've tried it and it just doesn't cope with my accent) and also a mini voice recorder so I could record meetings. Disabled students allowance later got me audio-notetaker software which works great with the voice recorder as you can edit sound files with it. In the end I didn't bother claiming for the taxis - I only needed them when I had to go to meetings, and that was too erratic to make it easy to do the claims. It would have been a lot easier if I'd needed them every day.

Ask about things like vertical mouse, different keyboards, gel wrist rests, and other computer related things too.

[shasmac in reply to earthwitch]

There is no way I qualify for the new PIP high mobility other when I'm in a major flare-up but I'm bedridden then and can't walk never mind drive! They did try and push the taxi angle and I had to submit 2 quotes which were in excess of £500 a week just to get to and from work and didn't include the travelling I do during working hours. They also said to get a quote to modify my car to an automatic but its a wee, aged banger and both garages just laughted when I asked for a quote. Public transport is almost 2 hours each way so fingers crossed they are willing to help.

[earthwitch]

That gives me a bit of hope then. Let us know how you get on.

[SaraF]

Hi, I applied to Access to Work for adaptions and found them very useful and pleasant to deal with. As already said I don't believe that they would be able to help you with changing to an automatic car, this is dealt with via DLA. If you haven't applied then remember that you should be completing these forms based on your worsed days anyway. I hope you are able to obtain the support your looking for. x