UK Disability Rights · 2026
How do I formally request reasonable adjustments at work?
Legal basis
Equality Act 2010 — section on legislation.gov.uk">Equality Act 2010 s.20 (duty to make reasonable adjustments), s.21 (failure = discrimination); EHRC Employment Statutory Code; Williams v Trustees of Swansea University Pension Scheme (employer awareness threshold).
Your rights
Right to have your request considered seriously and adjustments implemented if reasonable. Right to be involved in identifying adjustments. Right to medical evidence being treated confidentially (UK GDPR). Right to challenge refusal through grievance and tribunal. Reasonableness factors include: cost vs employer size, practicability, effectiveness, public funding availability (Access to Work).
Employer obligations
Engage in good-faith discussion; obtain Occupational Health input where appropriate; consider all reasonable adjustments (not just those you've suggested); implement adjustments without unreasonable delay; pay for adjustments (cannot be passed to employee); review effectiveness regularly; not victimise for making the request.
Practical actions
1) Get written medical evidence (GP letter or OH report) supporting your disability and recommended adjustments. 2) Write to HR (and copy line manager) formally requesting specific adjustments. Use this structure: (a) 'I have a disability under Equality Act 2010 s.6 — [brief description of substantial long-term effect]'; (b) 'The provisions/criteria/practices/physical features that put me at substantial disadvantage are: [specific examples]'; (c) 'The specific adjustments I'm requesting are: [list with rationale]'; (d) 'Supporting medical evidence is attached'; (e) 'Please respond within 14 days'. 3) Apply for Access to Work in parallel — addresses cost concerns. 4) Engage with Occupational Health if referred. 5) Document all responses. 6) If refused or delayed beyond reasonable: formal grievance citing s.20 EqA.
If your employer refuses
Tribunal claim under s.21 EqA (failure to make reasonable adjustments = discrimination). Award includes: financial loss (e.g., reduced earnings due to inability to perform without adjustments); injury to feelings (Vento bands £1,200-£58,700+); sometimes implementation orders. ACAS conciliation within 3 months less 1 day of refusal. No service requirement; uncapped damages.
Worked example
Sophie has fibromyalgia (chronic pain + fatigue, meets EqA disability test). She wrote a formal adjustment request to HR including OH report recommending: ergonomic workstation, ability to work from home 2 days/week during flares, flexibility on start/finish times, no continuous meetings over 90 minutes. She referenced s.20 EqA and Access to Work for the equipment. HR agreed to all four within 3 weeks; Access to Work funded the equipment £600. Without the structured written request + EqA reference, similar verbal requests had been brushed off for 6 months.
Recruiter pro tip
The single biggest leverage in reasonable adjustments requests is structured written framing. A verbal 'can I work from home sometimes?' triggers a discretionary conversation; a written 'under Equality Act 2010 s.20, given my [condition], I'm requesting [specific adjustment] to remove [specific disadvantage], evidenced by [OH report attached]' triggers a legal compliance review. The same request gets dramatically different treatment depending on framing. Use the legal language; you don't need to be aggressive — just precise.
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