Access to Work Deaf Services

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Access to Work for Deaf employees

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Access to Work Deaf Services

Let’s be honest: navigating the workplace as a Deaf or hard-of-hearing professional comes with its fair share of challenges. Whether you’re in a buzzing office, hopping from Zoom call to Zoom call, or trying to focus in a lecture hall — clear communication is key. That’s where Access to Work comes in.

But even more importantly — that’s where 121 Captions steps in.

We’re here to make Access to Work support simple, effective, and built around you.

What Is Access to Work?

Access to Work (AtW) is a UK government programme that helps remove communication barriers for disabled employees. If you’re Deaf or hard of hearing and in paid employment, self-employed, or about to start a job, you may be eligible for funding to cover things like:

Real-time captioning for meetings
BSL interpreters (British Sign Language)
Note-takers or electronic notetaking services
Communication support workers (CSWs)
Equipment or software for better communication
Travel or support for interviews

The best part? It doesn’t cost your employer a thing.

AtW is designed to empower you to work on an equal footing with no awkward compromises and no communication breakdowns.

How We Help

We’ve been supporting Deaf professionals and deaf job seekers through the Access to Work scheme for over a decade. We know the process inside and out — and we make it as smooth, supportive, and as stress-free as possible.

Here’s how we support you from start to finish:

Step 1: Free Consultation

We start with a friendly chat to understand your work environment, the challenges you’re facing, and the kind of support that would make your job easier. We’ll explain how Access to Work works and help you feel confident about the process.

Step 2: Help with Your Application

The paperwork can feel daunting — but don’t worry. We’ll guide you through the AtW application or renewal form, help you write a justification for the services you need, and even support with emails or calls to AtW if needed.

Step 3: Delivering the Support

Once you’re approved, we put your support in place — fast. Whether you need weekly meetings captioned, remote BSL interpreters, or notetaking for client calls, we’ll assign the right professional from our team. All our team members are trained, vetted, and experienced.

Step 4: Ongoing Support

Your needs might change — and we’re here for the long haul. We’ll work with you and your employer to make sure the service is working, flexible, and sustainable. We also help with renewals and changes.

Real Support, Real People

We know that every Deaf person’s working life looks different. Some of our clients are techies running daily Zoom calls. Others are teachers, doctors, therapists, civil servants, or CEOs. What they all have in common is that they deserve communication that works.

With 121 Captions, you get:

Trained, Deaf-aware professionals
Our captioners, interpreters and CSWs are experienced, qualified, and reliable.
Flexible support that fits your schedule
Weekly meetings? All-day conferences? One-off training sessions? We’ve got it covered.
Remote or in-person delivery
We can work with you no matter where you are — on-site in London, online in Glasgow, or halfway across the world.
Discreet, confidential service
We take your privacy seriously and work with professionalism at all times.

Why Clients Love Our Access to Work Services

I’ve had severe to profound hearing loss since birth. I think being deaf can really restrict your employment and career prospects, especially in fields where information is passed around verbally. The Access to Work scheme has been great. It funded all the support I needed, and made it easier for the company too, as they wouldn’t have had a clue what to provide. Captioning is vital for me as it enables me to do my job effectively. Having 121 Captions’ remote service allows me to access the support in a more flexible manner and not worry that it won’t be available when I really need it. I think that remote captioning is transforming access for deaf people.

121 Captions has transformed my professional life. As a project manager for sculpture park my work is very wide ranging and often involves a lot of jargon based technical planning and artist selection discussions with national experts. The art world often operates in a very last minute way and one of the key advantages of using the 121 service is they often are able to provide their service at short notice and I can book them for short meetings. Previously, I would have to book support workers months in advance and commit to several hours regardless of whether I needed it. When I look to the future of my career, I now think I can travel the world, because I can take 121 with me. It’s opened new possibilities and ambitions that did not exist for me before.

121 Captions made it possible for me to continue with my supervised fieldwork. I wish I had known about them earlier in my career!

121 Captions are my Speech to Text (STTR) agency of choice if I need a set provider. 121 understand the importance of obtaining prep materials for the STTRs and are always happy to provide advice and guidance about getting the best quality service for new and experienced users alike. They respond quickly to emails. They're also helpful with invoicing issues if things need putting in a different format for funding entities etc. I think the fact the CEO uses STTR herself really shows in their understanding of deaf people's needs.

For Employers: How You Can Support Deaf Staff

If you’re an employer with Deaf or hard-of-hearing staff, the Access to Work scheme is an incredible (and underused!) resource that helps you build a more inclusive, accessible workplace — without adding to your bottom line.

We work directly with HR teams, line managers, and occupational health departments to:

Help you understand your legal responsibilities under the Equality Act
Identify the most appropriate support for your Deaf employee(s)
Provide clear, jargon-free explanations of how the funding works
Manage the delivery of communication support — with minimal admin for you

Bottom line: we make it easy to do the right thing.

Why Choose 121 Captions for Access to Work?

There are lots of providers out there — but we’re different. Here’s why:

We’re Deaf-Led

Our founder, Tina Lannin, has been through the Access to Work process herself — more than once! So we truly understand how important it is to get support that’s fast, effective, and respectful.

We’re Experts

From captioned calls to BSL interpreters to lipspeaking and beyond, we offer every communication support service under one roof. No switching providers. No explaining your needs twice.

We’re Professional

Our team shows up on time, gets the job done, and works with your company’s systems, people, and policies.

We Care

We’re not a faceless agency. We build long-term relationships with clients, checking in regularly to make sure you’re getting what you need.

How to Get Started

If you’re Deaf or hard of hearing and need communication support at work — or you’re supporting someone who does — we’re here to help.

Step 1: Contact Us

Email us at [email protected]. Tell us a little about your situation, and we’ll take it from there.

Step 2: Apply for Access to Work

If you haven’t already, we’ll help you fill out the application — or help you renew or revise an existing claim.

Step 3: Start Receiving Support

Once funding is approved, we’ll get everything in place so you can start working without barriers.

Ready to Experience the 121 Difference?

Ready to Recover the Words?

No worries — we’ll help you figure it out. Whether you’re subtitling a video, supporting a Deaf employee, or planning a fully accessible event, we’ll listen, advise, and deliver.