Ask Access to Work to reconsider your award, in their own terms.
You get one reconsideration, by a different case manager, within four weeks of your decision letter. There is no appeal after that.
This free letter template is built from the Access to Work staff guide and decision letter, so your request lands in the language a case manager already works in.
What's in the template
A fill-in letter, built on four grounds
Hours departing from your assessment, evidence that never reached the decision maker, a rate nobody will work for, and no contact before the decision, each with guidance on when to use it and when to leave it out.
The four asks, worded for you
Exactly what to request, so your letter reads as a clear ask, not a general complaint.
The DWP bandings, quoted by paragraph
The actual hourly rate ranges from the staff guide, so you can point to the number your award should sit within.
An enclosures checklist
What to send with your letter so a case manager can check your grounds in under a minute.
A one-page deadline map
The four-week, five-week, thirteen-week, nine-month and twelve-week clocks that all start running from your decision letter, on one page you can keep by the phone.
The four grounds, in preview
Every Access to Work reconsideration that works, works on one or more of four grounds:
The award departs from your assessment, without written reasons
Your needs assessment recommended one thing; your award letter granted another, with no explanation for the change.
Your evidence was never put before the decision maker
Quotes or supporting information you provided don’t appear in the report the case manager actually used.
The award, as written, isn’t workable
The rate or hours funded don’t match what any provider in your area will actually accept.
There was no contact before the decision
DWP’s own staff guide says a case manager must try to understand your reasons for disagreeing before the decision is made. If that didn’t happen, it’s worth saying so.
The full template shows you exactly how to write each ground, which DWP paragraph to cite, and when to leave a ground out because it doesn't fit your letter. For the full process around it, read how to ask Access to Work to reconsider your award and the decision tree for a reduced award.
Is this a paid service?
No. The template and checklist are free. If you'd rather talk it through before you send anything, you can book a 20-minute award second-opinion call as a separate option.
Will this work if I haven't had my assessment report yet?
Yes, though it's worth requesting your report first if you haven't already. The template shows you which ground to use if you're still waiting.
Is this legal advice?
No. This template is built from lived experience and DWP's own published guidance. It isn't legal advice. For a formal complaint, escalation to the Independent Case Examiner, or judicial review, speak to Disability Rights UK, Citizens Advice or a local law centre.