How Able Futures works

Able Futures delivers the Access to Work Mental Health Support Service to help people who are experiencing mental health challenges such as stress, anxiety, depression, addiction, sleep problems or more.

We give you support from Vocational Rehabilitation Consultant (VRC) who will spend time with you to understand any mental health issues that are affecting your time at work.

Your VRC will help you create a support plan that is tailored to your needs, with regular meetings and telephone catch-ups scheduled over the nine month support programme.

The service is fully funded by the Department for Work and Pensions so there's no cost to you. It's delivered in locations that suit you, whether that be a quiet space at work or a local coffee shop. It's completely confidential so nothing that you talk about with Able Futures will be shared with your employer, your family or anyone else unless you give us your consent.

You do not need to have a diagnosed mental health condition to benefit from guidance, advice and support from Able Futures. Our mental health support service can help you prevent issues getting bigger and more difficult to deal with, or they can help you find new ways to cope with ongoing problems that are affecting your mental health.

Apply online or call us on freephone 0800 321 3137 and tell us what's on your mind and we'll call you back within one working day to check your eligibility and move forward your application for support. Then, within 30 days, you'll have a face-to-face meeting with your VRC and create a plan for support you'll receive over the next nine months. 

For six months, you'll keep in touch regularly with your VRC via telephone calls, face-to-face catch-ups or emails - whatever best suits you and your needs. They might recommend some websites or apps you could use to learn more about mental wellbeing or they may signpost you towards services or other experts that you help you tackle issues that are affecting you. Your Able Futures could also help you get support from your employer and help with adjustments at work if that’s what you need to help you feel better.

After six months, you'll review the progress you've made with the things you outlined in your support plan and with your VRC agree some lighter touch actions you could take over the next three months. In month nine you'll complete a review of the progress you've made, agree next steps and future focus with your VRC and exit the Access to Work Mental Health Support Service. 

Along the way, you may be contacted by other people from the Able Futures team to see how you are finding the service we are providing and to ask if you would be happy to share any feedback with other people who may benefit from the Access to Work Mental Health Support Service. You can choose whether to share your thoughts, or tell us to contact you at a different time if that's what you want.