Maybe you've been coping at work by pushing through: headphones in, extra hours to catch up, a long recovery every weekend. Then someone mentions "reasonable adjustments", and you wonder if that could apply to you.

This guide explains the basics in plain English. It's general information about the law in Great Britain, not legal advice. For your own situation, check the guidance from Acas and GOV.UK, or speak to an adviser.

What reasonable adjustments are

Under the Equality Act 2010, employers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled staff and job applicants. Acas describes them as changes an employer makes "to remove or reduce a disadvantage related to someone's disability". Treating everyone exactly the same isn't enough (Acas).

The employer pays for reasonable adjustments. Cost and the size of the organisation can affect what counts as "reasonable" (Acas).

Do you need a formal diagnosis?

No, not to be covered. Under the Equality Act, you're disabled if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a "substantial" and "long-term" negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities. "Substantial" means more than minor or trivial. "Long-term" means 12 months or more (GOV.UK).

What matters is the effect on you, not the label.

The duty usually applies when your employer knows, or could reasonably be expected to know, that you're disabled (Acas). You never have to tell them (Acas), but sharing some information usually helps.

What adjustments might look like

Adjustments are personal, so what helps one person might not help another. Some examples:

  • noise-cancelling headphones, or a quieter place to work
  • a fixed desk instead of hot-desking
  • softer lighting, or screen filters
  • written instructions, or a written summary after spoken ones
  • advance warning of changes, with time to process them
  • changed hours (for example, to avoid rush hour), or some home working
  • extra breaks, or a quiet space to go when you're overwhelmed

(Sources: Acas, NAS.)

How to ask

You can ask in a meeting, in writing, or through a formal process if your workplace has one (Acas). Writing gives you a record.

The National Autistic Society suggests explaining three things: what you find difficult, how it puts you at a disadvantage, and what adjustment would help (NAS).

Say you sit by the kitchen in an open-plan office, and the noise wipes you out by lunchtime. Your email might look like this:

Subject: Request for reasonable adjustments

Hi Sam,

I'm autistic, and I'd like to ask for some reasonable adjustments.

I find background noise very hard to filter out. By midday I'm struggling to concentrate, and it's affecting my work.

These changes would help:

  • a fixed desk away from the kitchen
  • using noise-cancelling headphones at my desk
  • working from home on Wednesdays

Could we meet to talk about this, and confirm anything we agree in writing?

Thanks, Alex

Acas says employers should confirm agreed adjustments in writing, and review them over time (Acas). Our free workplace passport template, a one-page summary of how you work best, is coming soon.

Access to Work

Access to Work is a government grant for practical support beyond what your employer must provide, such as specialist equipment, a job coach, or some travel costs. There's also separate mental health support.

If your employer says no

You could ask why, and suggest a different adjustment. Acas says you can make an informal or formal complaint to your employer and, if it isn't resolved, consider an employment tribunal claim (Acas).

Before a tribunal claim, the first step is to notify Acas. Time limits are strict: for most claims about things that happened on or after 1 October 2026, Acas says it's 6 months minus 1 day (Acas). Get advice early rather than waiting.

References

  1. GOV.UK. Definition of disability under the Equality Act 2010. gov.uk/definition-of-disability-under-equality-act-2010
  2. Acas. Reasonable adjustments at work (including "Adjustments for neurodiversity", "Asking for reasonable adjustments" and "If an employer does not make reasonable adjustments"), plus "What disability means by law" and "Employment tribunal time limits". acas.org.uk/reasonable-adjustments
  3. GOV.UK. Access to Work: get support if you have a disability or health condition. gov.uk/access-to-work
  4. National Autistic Society. What are reasonable adjustments and when can they be requested? and What support can I get at work as an autistic person? autism.org.uk