AtW Freelancers: PAYE and Self-Employed
Clear routes. Real support. No matter how you work - Accessibility for you as an Employer, Employee, and Freelancer.
Access to Work is a resource that helps to create a more accessible work environment. It provides grants to remove barriers that disabled individuals face in undertaking paid employment.
This guide has been designed to interpret the Access to Work rules and official guidance for freelancers who are PAYE and self-employed, with specific advice for UK Television.
Eligibility
To get help, you must be disabled or living with a long-term health condition, which means you face barriers in getting to/from work and/or doing your job. You must also be 16 or over, and there is no upper age limit.
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You must live and work in England, Scotland, or Wales. You can’t get Access to Work if you live in the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, and there’s a different system in Northern Ireland.
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No list of conditions or impairments is ineligible for Access to Work. So long as you face barriers doing your job, you can make the case for a grant. People with many different requirements get Access to Work, from support for dyslexia, communication, and mental health, through to mobility assistance.
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Self-Employed Freelancers
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To be eligible for Access to Work, you must either have submitted a self-assessment tax return or be ready to fill one in for the end of the current financial year. Your turnover must meet the lower earnings limit (LEL), which was £6,396 per year for April 2024/25. This normally changes every year; you can find the current LEL on the gov.uk.
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OR
If you are new to self-employment, you have 3 years to start and run your business whilst getting support from Access to Work. You must meet the lower earnings limit, a turnover of £6,396 (current as of 2024/25, check here for updates), by the end of your second year of self-employment. If you need another year to make the lower earnings limit, Access to Work may be able to grant you another year to do so.
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Access to Work will not pay for standard business equipment and costs required to set up your business, but it can provide support for accessible equipment that goes beyond a basic business need.
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Access to Work’s criteria for being satisfied that you are self-employed are:
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You have a Unique Taxpayer Reference.
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Accounts for an established business, or your most recent tax return.
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If you are new to self-employment, you may need to provide a viable business plan.
Resources
CDN has developed a range of resources for your use, including a guide for Freelancers.
Top Tip
Your turnover, not your profit, is used to assess whether you meet the lower earnings limit. For example, you’re a Costume Designer and received £5,000 for a contract on a new show. To fulfil that contract, you had to purchase equipment, pay for travel, and pay an assistant to the sum of £3,000. Your turnover is £5,000, and your profit would be £2,000.