Ministers have recently announced a new fund to help disabled people who require assistive technology (AT) at work. The Access to Work scheme will offer businesses the chance to save money when paying for AT, by waiving the mandatory payments towards the devices that were in place under the old rules.

These guidelines stated that medium-sized employers had to pay the first £500 towards technological solutions and large companies, the first £1000, with both paying 20% of the cost thereafter of up to £10,000.

Thanks to Access to Work, a publicly funded employment group that supports disabled people, this payment has been renounced. Known in the disabled community for their cash payments toward transport and workplace adaptations, the Access to Work Scheme will now instead fund assistive technology for employers, once they have applied. It is hoped that the changes will encourage disabled people into the workplace and help them to keep their positions.

At The Sequal Trust, we know the power assistive technology has to transform the lives of those who need it.  By encouraging the use of assistive technology in the workplace, we believe more disabled people will have the opportunity to live a more independent life. Employing AT will help to break down the barriers disabled people face whilst at work and reduce the disability employment gap.

Utilising assistive devices in the workplace will help disabled employees to make phone calls, send emails, get to and from work and order food for lunch. These things may seem trivial to able-bodied people, but they pose huge challenges to those with communication difficulties.

There is no denying that assistive technology for disabled people is extremely costly, which is why charities like us exist to try and ease the financial burden for people with communication disabilities. If you would like to learn more about the Access to Work Assistive Technology fund, click here or if you would like to register for our help visit our website.