Workplace supports in Ireland
Work and Access Ireland: Grants and Workplace Needs Assessments
Work and Access is a Department of Social Protection scheme designed to help disabled people and people with long-term health conditions get or stay in work. It includes seven supports for workplace assessment, equipment, adaptations, communication and ongoing assistance.
Belong OT plans to offer Workplace Needs Assessments from January 2027. The service is not open for booking yet. Further details will be confirmed closer to launch.
Why this initiative matters
Practical support linked to real work needs
A practical route to workplace support
Work and Access helps reduce the cost of disability-related assessment, equipment, adaptations and support. It focuses on barriers within the person’s actual job and workplace rather than diagnosis alone.
Why occupational therapy is well placed
Occupational therapists examine the fit between the person, their work tasks, routines, environment and equipment. This supports practical recommendations that relate directly to participation, comfort and sustainable work performance.
Key facts
What to know before you apply
Seven supports
Different needs, different funding
The scheme covers assessment, equipment, workplace adaptations, communication support, a personal reader, in-work support and disability equality training.
No approved directory
You choose the specialist
The Department does not maintain a list of approved assessors. The specialist must hold suitable qualifications, registration and relevant workplace-assessment experience.
Approval first
Do not purchase before approval
The Department must approve the relevant support before an assessment, service, item or adaptation is purchased.
Who may qualify?
Work and Access may support eligible disabled people and people with long-term health conditions who are working, self-employed, starting work, completing an apprenticeship or taking part in qualifying work experience.
Eligibility depends on the support requested, working arrangements, minimum work requirements, disability-related needs and the expected duration of the condition.
What is outside the scheme?
Work and Access does not fund public-sector employment supports, voluntary work, diagnostic assessments or treatment. Public-sector employers remain responsible for arranging appropriate workplace support.
Available support
The seven Work and Access supports
Each support has separate eligibility, application and approval requirements. Funding limits are maximum scheme contributions and do not guarantee that the full amount will be approved.
Workplace Needs Assessment: up to €2,500
This support funds an employer or eligible self-employed person to engage a suitably qualified specialist. The assessment identifies work-related barriers and recommends practical supports.
A Workplace Needs Assessment is required before applying for Workplace Adaptation or In-Work Support. It might also be requested for higher-cost equipment.
Work Equipment: up to €12,000
This support contributes towards assistive equipment or technology needed for work. Examples include screen-reading software, alternative keyboards, voice-recognition software, specialised furniture and related training.
Separate funding may apply for equipment used at the main workplace and at an approved remote-working location.
Workplace Adaptation: up to €25,000
This support helps with disability-related changes to a business premises, equipment or technology. A Workplace Needs Assessment must recommend the proposed adaptation.
The scheme does not fund works already required under existing building, health and safety or equality responsibilities.
In-Work Support: up to €12,500 per year
In-Work Support funds practical assistance from a work coach, specialist or communication support worker where this is needed to complete or retrain for the person’s role.
A Workplace Needs Assessment must recommend this support before an application is made.
Personal Reader: up to €12,500 per year
This support is intended for a blind or visually impaired employee who needs assistance with work-related reading.
Communication Support and Irish Sign Language
Communication support may include an Irish Sign Language interpreter, lip-speaker or another appropriate communication support worker for interviews, induction and ongoing employment.
The number of funded hours depends on the stage of employment and the support requested.
Disability Equality and Inclusion Training: up to €20,000 per year
This separate employer grant contributes towards disability equality and inclusion training for staff.
It is not part of the Workplace Needs Assessment grant and has its own eligibility, funding and quotation requirements.
Application pathway
How the process usually works
Check eligibility
Review the current guidance and identify which support relates to the person’s work needs.
Use the correct form
Some supports use the individual WA1 form. Employer-led supports, including a Workplace Needs Assessment, normally use WA2.
Gather evidence
This might include supporting information, quotations, employer details, tax-clearance information or an assessment report.
Wait for approval
Do not arrange or pay for the funded assessment, equipment, service or adaptation before approval.
Who completes WA1 and WA2?
The individual WA1 form is used for supports such as Communication Support, Personal Reader and Work Equipment. Employer-led supports, including Workplace Needs Assessment, In-Work Support, Workplace Adaptation and staff training, normally use the WA2 form.
What documents might be needed?
Requirements vary. They might include evidence of a long-term disability or health condition, employer information, tax-clearance details, quotations and a Workplace Needs Assessment report.
Workplace assessment
What is a Workplace Needs Assessment?
A Workplace Needs Assessment looks at the fit between the person, their job, the tasks involved and the work environment. It identifies barriers and recommends practical, evidence-informed supports.
What does the assessor look at?
- the person’s strengths, disability-related needs and existing strategies;
- the essential tasks and demands of the role;
- the physical, sensory, cognitive, communication and social environment;
- work routines, pace, interruptions, meetings and workload;
- equipment, technology and workstation setup;
- barriers to participation and possible accommodations.
Who might complete the assessment?
Department guidance lists suitably qualified professionals such as occupational therapists, occupational psychologists, occupational health professionals, ergonomics specialists and chartered physiotherapists.
The assessor should hold relevant qualifications, professional registration where required and experience in workplace or occupational assessment.
What does the report include?
The report records the job demands, workplace barriers and evidence-informed recommendations. It may then support an application for equipment, adaptations or in-work assistance.
Does the assessment need to take place in person?
The guidance recognises business premises, home-working and remote locations. It does not clearly confirm whether every assessment may be completed fully online. Confirm the proposed format with the Department before proceeding.
Occupational therapy and work
How occupational therapy supports workplace participation
Occupational therapy focuses on the fit between the person, the work they need to do and the environment in which they do it. The aim is to reduce barriers and support sustainable participation rather than treating the worker as the problem.
- job tasks and daily work routines;
- sensory demands such as noise, lighting and interruptions;
- planning, prioritising and starting tasks;
- attention, processing time and communication;
- fatigue, pacing and energy management;
- motor coordination and equipment use;
- workstation setup and physical access;
- remote and hybrid-working arrangements;
- assistive equipment and technology;
- practical workplace accommodations.
Illustrative example
What might an assessment and its outcomes look like?
This example is fictional. Recommendations and outcomes depend on the person, role, workplace and Department approval.
Example workplace situation
An adult works in a busy hybrid administrative role. They complete their core duties well but experience sensory overload in an open-plan office, fatigue after meeting-heavy days and difficulty restarting complex tasks after frequent interruptions.
What the assessment might explore
The assessor reviews the person’s job description, daily tasks, deadlines, meeting demands, workspace, technology, communication systems, travel, working pattern and existing strategies. The employee and manager discuss which parts of the role are essential and where barriers arise.
Possible recommendations
- a quieter workstation or agreed low-distraction space;
- protected focus periods with fewer unplanned interruptions;
- written priorities and meeting agendas;
- assistive planning or task-management software;
- noise-reduction equipment where appropriate;
- a more predictable balance of office and remote-working days;
- review points with the manager to check whether supports remain useful.
Possible practical outcomes
The person may experience clearer task expectations, more consistent follow-through, less energy loss from avoidable interruptions and a more sustainable working pattern. The report may also support an application for eligible equipment or in-work support.
Finding support
Choosing a suitable assessor
What should I check before arranging an assessment?
- Relevant professional qualification and current registration.
- Experience related to your disability, health condition or neurotype.
- Experience assessing real job roles and workplace environments.
- Knowledge of the current Work and Access requirements and report format.
- How the employee, employer, manager or HR representative will be involved.
- How consent, confidentiality and report sharing will be managed.
- The full assessment fee, travel costs and follow-up arrangements.
- Whether Department approval is needed before the assessment takes place.
Is there an official list of approved assessors?
No. The Department does not publish a pre-approved assessor list. Inclusion in a private directory does not mean that a provider has been approved, verified or endorsed by the Department.
Where might I find potential assessors?
Relevant professionals may advertise Workplace Needs Assessments through occupational therapy, psychology, occupational health, ergonomics, vocational rehabilitation or assistive-technology services.
Braver Coaching & Consulting compiled an independent contact list of some Irish assessors in April 2025. Braver states that its list is not official, complete or independently verified.
Belong OT service update
Workplace Needs Assessments launching in January 2027
Belong OT plans to offer Workplace Needs Assessments from January 2027. The service will focus on the fit between the person, their job tasks, routines, environment, equipment and support needs.
The service is not open for booking yet. The final assessment process, fees, travel arrangements and booking information will be published closer to launch.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about Work and Access
Do I need a formal diagnosis?
The scheme focuses on disability-related work needs rather than diagnosis alone. You may still need medical evidence showing that your disability or health condition is long term, unless you already receive a qualifying disability payment.
Are public-sector employees covered?
Work and Access does not fund supports for public-sector employment. Public-sector employers remain responsible for considering and funding appropriate workplace supports.
Who applies for a Workplace Needs Assessment?
The employer normally applies using the WA2 form. An eligible self-employed person may apply for their own workplace. The Department should approve the application before the assessment takes place.
Does the assessment grant cover the full fee?
The Workplace Needs Assessment support contributes up to €2,500, subject to eligibility and Department approval. Any amount above the approved contribution, including costs not covered by the scheme, may remain payable by the applicant or employer.
Can I buy equipment first and claim the cost back?
No. You must receive Department approval before buying equipment, arranging an adaptation or using a funded service. Costs paid before approval are not reimbursed.
How long is a Workplace Needs Assessment valid?
An assessment may remain valid for up to three years. A new assessment may be needed sooner where the person’s role, employer, workplace or disability-related needs change significantly.
Does the employer have to accept every recommendation?
The assessment provides evidence-informed recommendations. The employer considers these alongside the role, workplace, legal responsibilities and what is reasonable and practicable. Further Work and Access funding is generally linked to supports recommended in the assessment.
When will Belong OT offer Workplace Needs Assessments?
Belong OT plans to launch the service in January 2027. Booking information and fees will be published closer to the launch date.
Official information and further reading
Scheme rules, funding limits and forms may change. Check the current Department of Social Protection information before applying or spending money.
Information reviewed: 24 July 2026.
Looking for practical occupational therapy support with work or everyday routines?
Belong OT currently supports adults with routines, planning, sensory needs, fatigue, study, organisation and participation in everyday life.