I’ve Been Awarded ADHD Coaching Through Access to Work – What Happens Next?
Getting your Access to Work award through can feel like a huge relief.
And then you open the letter and think:
Right... what do I actually do now?
If your Access to Work award includes ADHD coaching or specialist workplace support, the next step is usually turning that funding into support that genuinely helps you at work.
If you've already received your award and you're now searching for an Access to Work ADHD coach, this guide explains what to do next, what to look for and what you can expect from workplace ADHD coaching.
Here's where to start.
Step 1: Read your Access to Work award carefully
Before booking anything, look at exactly what has been approved.
Your award should tell you what support Access to Work has agreed to fund. Depending on your award, this may include information such as the type of support, number of hours or sessions, agreed costs or rates and the period the support covers.
Don't assume that something is covered simply because it was discussed during your assessment.
Work from what's actually been approved in your award.
If something isn't clear, contact Access to Work before committing to costs.
Step 2: Understand what your ADHD coaching funding covers
Not every Access to Work award looks the same.
One person might have been awarded a particular number of coaching sessions, while somebody else's support may be expressed differently.
This matters when you're choosing a coach.
It can be useful to have your award information available when you make an enquiry so the coach can understand what has been approved and whether they can provide the support within the terms of your award.
Step 3: Find an ADHD workplace coach
This is where you get some choice over something incredibly important:
Who you're actually going to be talking to.
Qualifications and ADHD knowledge matter, but so does the relationship.
You're potentially going to be talking about procrastination, overwhelm, things you haven't done, things you think you should be able to do, difficult workplace situations and possibly patterns you've spent years trying to hide.
You need someone you feel comfortable being honest with.
When looking for a coach, you might want to consider:
their ADHD-specific training
their experience of workplace coaching
whether they understand the type of work you do
their coaching approach
whether their style feels practical and realistic for you
whether they work with Access to Work-funded clients
whether they can provide the documentation required for your funding
and, quite simply, whether you feel you can talk to them
A coaching relationship can look great on paper and still not feel right for you.
It's okay to consider fit.
Step 4: Speak to the coach before you start
I think this part matters.
Coaching shouldn't feel like being allocated another professional who's going to tell you everything you're doing wrong.
A conversation before starting gives you an opportunity to understand how the coach works and gives them an opportunity to understand a little about you.
If somebody enquires about Access to Work ADHD coaching with me, I'll usually want to understand things such as:
what support you've been awarded
what you're hoping coaching might help with
your role or business
some of the areas currently causing difficulty at work
You don't need to arrive knowing exactly what your coaching goals are.
Figuring that out can be part of the process.
Step 5: What happens in your first ADHD coaching session?
Your first session shouldn't be about launching straight into a generic list of ADHD strategies.
Before deciding what needs changing, we need to understand what's actually happening.
That might mean exploring:
what your working life currently looks like
where you're getting stuck
what feels overwhelming
what already works well
what you've tried before
what you want to be different
the demands of your particular role
and how ADHD appears to be affecting those things
Two people can both struggle with procrastination for completely different reasons.
The strategy that helps one might be utterly useless for the other.
That's why understanding the why comes before throwing solutions at it.
Step 6: Your coaching should become more personalised as you go
Once we've identified the biggest areas of friction, we can start working through them.
That might include things such as:
prioritisation
task initiation
procrastination
time blindness
overwhelm
organisation
focus and distraction
perfectionism
rejection sensitivity
boundaries
people pleasing
managing competing demands
creating realistic working systems
But coaching isn't about working through an ADHD checklist.
Your priorities determine where we focus.
The aim is to understand your patterns and develop strategies that you can actually use in your real working life.
What if I've spent years masking my difficulties at work?
This is something I think deserves saying.
You don't need to arrive at coaching with a perfectly articulated explanation of how ADHD affects you.
Particularly if you've been diagnosed later in life, you may still be working that out.
Sometimes you've spent so long compensating for difficulties that they don't immediately look like difficulties anymore.
You might say:
“I'm actually really good with deadlines.”
But then realise that the reason you never miss one is because you spend the final 48 hours in panic mode, work until midnight and completely exhaust yourself getting it finished.
The outcome might look successful.
The process getting you there might not be sustainable.
That's something coaching can explore.
How does payment work with Access to Work?
This is one area where you should follow the instructions attached to your particular award.
Current GOV.UK guidance says Access to Work grant claims can be made online or by post.
To make a claim, you'll generally need information including the dates support was provided, invoices or receipts showing the cost and bank details for whoever will receive the payment.
You need your grant approval letter before you can claim.
DWP's detailed guidance also allows payments to be made to the customer, employer or supplier, depending on the arrangement.
Your coach should therefore be able to provide appropriate invoices and supporting information for the coaching delivered.
If you're unsure how your particular award should be claimed, check your decision letter or contact Access to Work before making assumptions about the payment process.
What if my needs change?
ADHD doesn't exist in a vacuum and jobs don't stay exactly the same.
Your responsibilities might change.
You might start managing people.
Your business might grow.
You might change employer or working pattern.
If the support you're using changes significantly, contact Access to Work rather than assuming your existing award automatically covers the new arrangement.
DWP's customer guidance specifically asks people to tell Access to Work when the type of support they're using changes.
Already have an Access to Work award for ADHD coaching?
If you've reached this article because you already have funding and you're now looking for a coach, hello.
I'm an ADHD Workplace Coach and founder of Creating Clarity Collective.
I provide one-to-one ADHD workplace coaching online across the UK and welcome clients using Access to Work funding.
My approach is practical, curious and non-judgemental.
I'm not going to give you another elaborate productivity system that becomes one more thing you're supposed to maintain.
Instead, we'll look at how ADHD shows up for you, identify the patterns creating friction in your working life and develop strategies that work with your brain, your role and your actual circumstances.
My background in executive support and operations also means I particularly understand the reality of demanding workloads, competing priorities, leadership roles and running a business.
Still earlier in the Access to Work process?
You might find these useful:
For current information about your grant and making claims, always refer to the official GOV.UK Access to Work guidance.
Creating Clarity Collective is an independent coaching provider and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department for Work and Pensions or Access to Work.
Eligibility and funding decisions are made by Access to Work.
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