The Equality Act 2010 applies in England, Wales and Scotland. Northern Ireland uses the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. General information, not legal advice.
A useful adjustment request names the work task, the disability-related disadvantage and the change you want considered. Ask for a meeting, written decisions and a review date. Employers must make reasonable adjustments where the legal duty applies, but no example on this page guarantees a particular arrangement.
Describe the work barrier before naming a solution
Acas explains reasonable adjustments (opens another website) as changes which remove or reduce a disability-related disadvantage. In Great Britain the duty arises when an employer knows, or should reasonably know, someone is disabled. Reasonableness depends on the situation, including effectiveness, practicality, cost and safety. The basic nature of the job does not have to change.
Start with one task. Say when the barrier appears, what becomes difficult and how the proposed change addresses the difficulty. For healthcare work, specify the setting: a ward handover, telephone triage, checking work, a clinic room or travel between sites. A diagnosis alone leaves the manager guessing about the task.
Key facts
- Great Britain
- Equality Act 2010
- Northern Ireland
- Disability Discrimination Act 1995
- Cost of required adjustments
- The employer is responsible for reasonable adjustments
- Access to Work
- The Great Britain grant does not pay for adjustments the employer must legally make
A task-specific request to adapt
Use these fields in an email or meeting note. Keep medical information relevant to the work barrier, and ask who needs to receive sensitive details.
| Field | What to record |
|---|---|
| Task | The duty and circumstances where difficulty occurs. |
| Disadvantage | How the disability affects this part of work. |
| Proposed change | A specific alteration, with any alternative worth considering. |
| Implementation | Who needs to arrange equipment, cover, training or instructions. |
| Review | When to check the result and what evidence would show improvement. |
For example, a clinician who finds a noisy handover difficult might ask to receive the written agenda before the discussion and use a quieter room. The request should explain the particular disadvantage and account for confidentiality, access to clinical systems and team arrangements. The employer still needs to assess the proposal with the worker.
A technician needing more predictable breaks might ask who can provide cover during the proposed break periods. Write down the cover arrangement rather than recording only 'more breaks'. If the cover cannot be provided as proposed, ask which alternative would address the same disadvantage.
Arrange a conversation about the request
Acas request guidance (opens another website) allows requests in writing, in a meeting or through an employer's process. You do not need a perfectly drafted letter to start the conversation. Ask for the policy, then bring your task note and relevant advice to the meeting.
The Acas meeting guidance (opens another website) recommends discussing how proposed changes would work and agreeing a plan to monitor them. Ask who can approve each measure and whether another team, such as estates or the digital systems team, must be involved. Check the practical effect on colleagues and patient safety with the manager rather than leaving implementation to an informal shift swap.
Where specialist advice would help, discuss an occupational health referral. For a return after sickness, link the adjustment record to the return-to-work plan. Some workplace support is agreed without a specialist assessment, so ask which changes can be discussed now.
Record decisions and check the change survives a rota
Ask for agreed measures in writing. Include the start date, responsible person and any arrangements needed before the change begins. If a proposal is declined, request the reasons and ask about other measures addressing the same barrier. Bring unresolved concerns to your union or an employment adviser.
Acas review guidance (opens another website) recommends regular discussion and reassessment when work or health changes. An adjustment passport records agreed support and helps when a manager changes. Decide how the current agreement will reach the person allocating duties, without distributing unnecessary medical detail.
At review, compare the arrangement with what happened in practice. Was the quieter room available? Did the rota provide cover? A measure absent on most shifts needs an implementation discussion before anyone concludes the adjustment failed.
Check funding and the UK nation
GOV.UK Access to Work guidance (opens another website) says the grant does not pay for reasonable adjustments an employer must legally provide. Keep the employer's duties separate from an application for extra support. Ask the scheme about eligibility before spending money or expecting reimbursement.
In Northern Ireland, nidirect disability employment guidance (opens another website) explains the duty under different legislation and identifies the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland as an advice body. Use the Northern Ireland support page for local employment services. Do not assume a Great Britain scheme or procedure covers your job there.
Common questions
Do I need to be off sick to request adjustments?
No. Adjustments concern disadvantages during work and recruitment, as well as returning after absence. Discuss a work barrier when support is needed.
Can my employer suggest a different adjustment?
Yes. Discuss whether the alternative removes or reduces the disadvantage. Ask for the proposal and decision in writing, with a review of the practical result.
Should I wait for Access to Work before asking my manager?
No. The Great Britain scheme does not replace the employer's adjustment duties. Discuss required changes with your employer separately from any grant application.