Does this sound like you?
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"Every renewal feels like starting from scratch and fighting all over again."
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"My role has changed and I don't know how to update my award without losing what I have."
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"Last time they cut my hours and I still don't know why. I can't let that happen again."
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"I've been diagnosed with something new since my original award. I don't know if that helps or hurts me."
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"I rely on this support to do my job. The thought of losing it is genuinely frightening."
What you need to know about Access to Work renewals
Access to Work renewals are the stage where support is most commonly cut. Case managers are under pressure to reduce ongoing costs, and support workers in particular are being scrutinised heavily.
A renewal is not about approving what you already have because your needs haven’t changed. It is a new decision, and it’s assessed as if it was a new case. Going in without a strategy is the most common reason people lose support they genuinely need.
The good news: if your needs have changed or grown since your original award (including new diagnoses or new responsibilities at work ) a renewal is also an opportunity to ask for more support. I help you work out which applies to your situation and how to approach it.
What happens in the consultation
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We review what you currently have
We go through your existing award, what support you have, and what you're hoping to protect or change. If your previous award letter or SWROT form is available, bring it, it's useful context.
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I identify your risks and opportunities
Not all renewals carry the same risk. I look at what's changed since your original award, what ATW is currently approving and cutting, and where your case is strongest and most vulnerable.
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We build your renewal strategy
You leave knowing exactly what to say to your case manager, how to describe any changes in your needs, what to ask for, and what to avoid saying that could be used against you.
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You receive your summary email and transcript
Within 24 hours, I send a personalised summary email covering what we discussed. You will also have access to the call’s Otter.ai transcript, so you don't have to rely on memory when the case manager calls.
What you get
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60-minute video call
Bring your questions, your award letter, any case manager correspondence, and your SWROT if you have it
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Personalised renewal strategy
What to say, what to ask for, and what to avoid, specific to your situation
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Summary email within 24 hours
Your key points and next steps in writing, so you’re ready and prepared when your case manager calls
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Call transcript
Access to your full Otter.ai session transcript so nothing gets lost
If you have a support worker
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Your renewal consultation and your SWROT are two different things
This consultation helps you prepare your overall renewal strategy. If your award includes a support worker, preparing the Support Worker Record of Tasks (SWROT) form is a separate, specialist piece of work that determines your hours and hourly rate.
Many clients do both: the consultation first to get the full picture, then the SWROT preparation to build the strongest possible case for their support worker hours.
What clients say
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"Being self-employed, I was so afraid of getting my renewal wrong. I didn't know how to put my case forward. Max's advice helped me get more coaching. I couldn't be happier."
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"I feel reassured and clearer about the steps. I couldn't have navigated this on my own."
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"I didn't know whether to bring up my new diagnosis. Max explained the pros and cons, and now I have a solid plan."
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"Every year, the renewal is so stressful. I'm so grateful for the support and the peace of mind it brought."
Why Max?
Max Wayne, ATW Consultant
Renewals are the part of the ATW process where Max sees the most distress. Clients who have built their working lives around support they were legitimately awarded are suddenly facing the prospect of losing it. Not because their needs have changed, but because ATW is under pressure to cut costs, so it keeps changing what types of support it awards.
Max has supported clients through renewals across a wide range of conditions, roles, and award types, including people who had previous awards cut and needed to fight to rebuild them. The combination of knowing the current rules, understanding what case managers are looking for, and being neurodivergent themselves means Max can translate your situation into the clearest possible case.
“You shouldn’t have to fight for support you’ve already been awarded. But when you do have to fight, let’s make sure you’re ready.”
This service is not the right fit if:
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Your case manager is calling in the next 72 hours
As Access to Work becomes increasingly more difficult to get, my strategy is built around preparing you comprehensively from the very start. This means you go in ready from the start and build yourself a strong case, should the worst happen and you have to go through the reconsideration or complaint process later.
If your case manager is calling in the next few days, there isn't enough time to have the session, receive your summary email, and adequately prepare for the call.
Contact your case manager to ask for more time as a reasonable adjustment.
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You've already had your first call with your case manager and things didn't go as well as you hoped
Managing a situation where you've already communicated something to your case manager can be challenging without further complications. Unfortunately, I'm unable to step in to fix issues if we haven't worked on your renewal together from the start.
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You haven't had an ATW award before
This consultation is specifically for people renewing an existing award. If you are applying for the first time, my standard £60 consultation or pre-application services are the right starting point.
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For general boundaries that apply to all my services, see Before you book.
