Access to Work support

If you are a disabled councillor, you may be entitled to support through Access to Work. This is a UK Government programme that can help cover the extra costs of being a councillor that relate to your disability or health condition.

As councillors in Scotland receive a salary, the role is recognised as paid work for Access to Work purposes, unlike in England and Wales. This means you can apply for support once elected.

Support can include:

- A personal assistant or support worker

- Communication support (for example, BSL interpreters)

- Specialist equipment or software

- Travel support if you cannot use public transport

- Adaptations to help you carry out meetings, casework and community engagement

How to access support:

1. Apply to Access to Work as soon as possible after being elected

2. Take part in an assessment to identify what support you need in your role

3. Agree a support package tailored to your duties as a councillor

4. Begin using the support, with costs covered or reimbursed through the scheme

You can find more information and apply here: - Access to Work application guidance

You can view  detailed staff guidance (useful for understanding additional eligibility criteria)

For support during your campaign, the Access to Elected Office Fund Scotland, which is separate from Access to Work, is designed specifically for candidates for parliamentary and local council elections, and associated by-elections. For more information, visit the Inclusion Scotland website

If you are unsure how these schemes apply to your situation, we recommend seeking advice early so that support is in place as quickly as possible.