If ADHD is making work feel harder than it needs to, you may be able to get practical support through the UK Government’s Access to Work scheme. Access to Work can help people with a disability or long-term health condition get into work, stay in work, or manage work more effectively.
For adults with ADHD, this support may include specialist equipment, assistive software, travel support, workplace support, or one-to-one coaching where this is linked to the challenges you experience in your role.
Access to Work is a government grant scheme that can help pay for practical support at work if you have a physical or mental health condition or disability. It is not a loan, it does not need to be paid back, and it does not affect any benefits you receive.
The support offered depends on your individual needs and the demands of your job. Your workplace can also include your home if you work from home some or all of the time.
ADHD can affect work in many ways. You might find it difficult to manage time, prioritise tasks, stay focused, switch between tasks, keep on top of admin, manage overwhelm, or recover from distraction. These challenges are not about effort or ability – they are often about the way ADHD affects executive functioning.
ADHD coaching through Access to Work can provide practical, personalised support to help you understand your working patterns and build strategies that suit your brain, your job, and your life.
You may be able to apply for Access to Work if you are:
This can include part-time work, apprenticeships, internships, work trials, or self-employment.
You do not need to have everything worked out before you apply. The application asks about your work, your condition, and the support you think would help. Access to Work will then consider what support may be appropriate for your situation.
Your employer still has a legal responsibility to consider reasonable adjustments. Access to Work may provide additional support where your needs go beyond what your employer can reasonably provide. This means it can sit alongside workplace conversations about adjustments, rather than replacing them.
As an ADHD coach, I work with adults who want to feel more in control of work, reduce overwhelm, and develop realistic strategies that fit the way their brain works. My coaching is strengths-based, practical and compassionate, with space to explore what is getting in the way and what would make work feel more manageable.
If you are applying for Access to Work and are interested in ADHD coaching, you are welcome to get in touch to talk about what coaching could look like and whether it may be a good fit for your needs.
You can read the official guidance and apply for Access to Work on the GOV.UK Access to Work page.
