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Access to Work support worker invoice: what to include
Last checked 25 October 2026 against GOV.UK and the sources below. General information, not advice. AwardMatch is independent and not affiliated with DWP or Access to Work.
If you’re a self-employed support worker, interpreter, note-taker or job coach paid through Access to Work, your invoice is the main evidence behind each claim. Here’s what to put on it so the claim isn’t sent back.
The details at the top
Graeae’s 2026 claims checklist lists what support worker invoices need. Put these at the top of every invoice:
| Your full name | As it appears on the award or in the claim service, not a nickname. |
|---|---|
| Your UTR | Your 10-digit Unique Taxpayer Reference from HMRC. |
| Address, phone and email | All three. |
| Who it’s for | The name of the person receiving support, and their Access to Work reference if you have it. |
| Invoice number and date | A number you don’t reuse, and the date you issued it. |
| The month it covers | One calendar month per invoice. |
A full breakdown of the support
Graeae says Access to Work wants “a full breakdown of the support provided”. Give each session its own line with:
- the date
- the start and finish times, and any unpaid break
- the hours
- a short description of the support, such as “note-taking in team meeting” or “BSL interpreting, client meeting”. Describe the work, not the person
- the rate and the amount
Then the total hours and total amount claimed, and your bank details if you’re the one being paid. GOV.UK says claims need bank details for “the person or company who will receive the money from the grant”.
Match the award exactly
Graeae reports that Access to Work is “now more closely scrutinizing your claim”, and that claims which don’t “exactly” match the award are returned. Before you send an invoice, check:
- Your hourly rate is the rate on the award letter. If it’s higher, the claim can only be for the award rate, so show the claimable amount separately.
- No week (or month, if the award is monthly) goes over the hours on the award.
- Every session is between the award’s start and end dates.
- No session is already on another invoice, and no two sessions overlap.
- Every session is within the last nine months (more on the nine-month limit).
AwardMatch does all of these checks for you before it makes the PDF, and won’t produce a final invoice until the problems are fixed.
A template to start from
Use the free Access to Work invoice template for a single month: it has every field above and checks as you type. If you invoice every month or have several clients, the AwardMatch app keeps the session log, gets each session signed off on the day, and tracks each claim until it’s paid.
Questions
Who sends the invoice to Access to Work?
Usually the person receiving support (or their employer) makes the claim and attaches the worker’s invoice. Online, the claim service keeps the support worker’s details for later claims, and a workplace contact may be asked to confirm the support. Check your decision letter for who should claim.
Can I charge more than the award rate?
You can charge what you agree, but Graeae’s visual guide says Access to Work “will only pay for the amount that was stated in your grant”. The claim is then for the hours at the award rate, and the difference has to be paid some other way, for example by the employer. If your rate has gone up for good, the person you support can ask Access to Work to review the award.
Do I need the person I support to sign the invoice?
GOV.UK doesn’t say so for online claims. The paper support worker form (DP222JP) has signature boxes for the support worker, the employer or agency, and the person claiming. A signed record of each session is still good practice: it’s your evidence if a claim is queried.
Should travel time go on the invoice?
Only if your award covers it. Itemise exactly what the award pays for, and nothing else.
Make every month’s claim match the award. AwardMatch keeps a log of each session with sign-off on the day, checks the month against the award’s hours, rate and dates, and makes the invoice PDF. It runs in your browser and your records stay on your device. Free for one award.
Open AwardMatchSources
- GOV.UK: Access to Work, claiming money from your grant
- Graeae: Access to Work campaign, claims process
- Graeae: Access to Work claims checklist (January 2026, PDF)
- DWP form DP222JP, support worker claim (copy published by LSE, PDF)
- Henshaws: Access to Work online claims portal explained
More guides
- Access to Work invoice template (free)
- Access to Work claim returned: common reasons and fixes
- The nine-month limit on Access to Work claims
- Access to Work taxi receipts: what they need to show
This guide is general information, checked on 25 October 2026. It isn’t advice, and the claims process changes: check GOV.UK or call the Access to Work helpline (0800 121 7479) about your own claim. AwardMatch is independent and not affiliated with DWP or Access to Work.