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Since the introduction of The Equality Act 2010, businesses have had a duty to rethink disability at work. The legislation requires employers to remove workplace barriers for people with disabilities and mandates making reasonable adjustments whenever possible. This article explains the Equality Act 2010 and the practical steps employers can take to assess, document and review reasonable adjustments for disabled employees.
Table of Contents
- Key Facts
- What is The Equality Act?
- What are Reasonable Adjustments?
- Reasonable Adjustments: Examples
- Do You Have to Make Reasonable Adjustments?
- How Long Does an Employer Have to Make Reasonable Adjustments?
- What Happens if You Don’t Comply?
- How To Avoid Complaints
- Get Started with Factorial
Key Facts
- Equality Act Reasonable Adjustments require employers in Great Britain to remove or reduce workplace disadvantages for disabled employees and job applicants where it is reasonable to do so, according to GOV.UK.
- In Q2 2025, the Department for Work and Pensions reported 5.5 million disabled people in UK employment, with a 52.8% employment rate versus 82.5% for non-disabled people.
- The House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts reported that Access to Work processing times rose from 28 working days in 2020-21 to 66 working days in 2024-25.
- Use Acas’s 4 trigger checks: disability knowledge, a request, job difficulty and disability-linked absence or return-to-work delay.
- What is The Equality Act?
- What are Reasonable Adjustments?
- Reasonable Adjustments: Examples
- Do You Have to Make Reasonable Adjustments?
- How Long Does an Employer Have to Make Reasonable Adjustments?
- What Happens if You Don’t Comply
- How to Avoid Complaints
What is The Equality Act?
According to the UK Government, “the Equality Act 2010 protects people from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society.” More specifically, this act protects against discrimination occurring in “employment, education, access to goods, services and facilities, and buying and renting land or property”.
The Equality Act 2010 came into force on 1st October 2010, and applies to any unlawful treatment, discrimination or victimisation that occurs after that date.
This article focuses on England, Scotland and Wales. GOV.UK directs Northern Ireland employers and workers to separate indirect and Access to Work (NI) guidance, so HR teams with Northern Ireland staff should check the NI framework before applying this Equality Act analysis.
In the past, lawmakers introduced various anti-discrimination laws that did not sufficiently protect workers. The Equality Act replaced all of these laws with a single Act, making the rules easier to understand and giving people more protection.
Regarding employment, employers must support disabled employees to the best of their abilities by making reasonable adjustments.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission explains that disability under the Act means a physical or mental impairment with a substantial and long-term adverse effect on normal day-to-day activities.
What are Reasonable Adjustments?
Reasonable adjustments are practical changes an employer makes to remove or reduce a disability-related disadvantage at work. Acas says the duty can arise when the employer knows or could reasonably be expected to know that someone is disabled, when a request is made, when job difficulty appears or when absence is linked to disability.
In other words, organisations and service providers must accommodate disabled people if their disability puts them at a disadvantage compared to those who are not disabled. This includes both physical disabilities and mental health conditions.
Different employers interpret the word “reasonable” in different ways. However, employers should consider carefully whether adjustments will remove disadvantages by liaising with the people involved and avoiding assumptions.
| Question | What HR should check |
|---|---|
| Will it reduce the disadvantage? | Discuss the barrier with the employee. |
| Is it practical? | Check role, site and team impact. |
| Is it affordable? | Assess cost against business resources. |
| Is it safe? | Consider health and safety risks. |
Ideally, the adjustment would be practical to make and also affordable as it is the responsibility of the employer to fund these changes. The cost of an adjustment can be taken into account when deciding if it is reasonable or not. There is a government scheme called Access To Work which can help with some costs for employees or interviewees where support goes beyond what it is reasonable for the employer to provide. The Department for Work and Pensions reported that 74,190 customers received an Access to Work payment in the financial year ending March 2025.
Reasonable Adjustments: Examples
Managing a disability at work might mean making reasonable adjustments tailored to the employee in question. This can involve a range of actions, such as making physical changes to the workplace or providing the necessary equipment and support. The goal is to ensure that the individual can perform their job effectively without facing unnecessary barriers. Examples of reasonable adjustments in the workplace include:
- Changing the lighting above someone’s desk
- Providing an accessible parking space
- Installing audio-visual fire alarms for a deaf employee
- Buying a specialist keyboard or mouse for someone with arthritis
- Enabling employees to work part-time or flexible hours.
Employers can also make reasonable adjustments by adapting ways of working and rethinking how things are done around the workplace. This could include:
- Distributing work differently within the team
- Giving interviewees more time to take tests (within an interview setting)
- Finding new ways of training people
- Giving different responsibilities or a new/adapted role that is more suited to them.
These examples of reasonable adjustments are not exhaustive. Bear in mind that they might look very different for you and your staff. It’s important to remember that they are unique to an individual and there isn’t one blanket solution for everyone.
Do You Have to Make Reasonable Adjustments?
Reasonable adjustments are assessed case by case. Acas says an employer does not have to change the basic nature of the job, but should still consider other reasonable ways to support the disabled person before refusing an adjustment.
However, employers should make every effort to make adjustments for disability at work, but you do not have to make adjustments that are unreasonable. There is a subjective element to the word ‘reasonable’, but it’s advisable to be generous with your interpretation to improve employee wellbeing and avoid absenteeism.
How Long Does an Employer Have to Make Reasonable Adjustments?
There is no fixed statutory number of days for making reasonable adjustments for disability at work. However, Acas expects employers to respond promptly once they know support may be needed, and to confirm agreed adjustments in writing.
In practice, act once you know or could reasonably be expected to know about the disability-related disadvantage. Acas says the duty can arise when an employee asks for support, when job difficulty appears or when absence or return-to-work delay is disability-linked.
If implementation will take time, the Health and Safety Executive advises employers to consider temporary arrangements to manage risks for disabled workers whilst longer-term support is being put in place.
There is also an expectation that employers should make adjustments as soon as possible after an employee asks for one, whether directly or indirectly. For example, an employee might not say directly that they require a specific adjustment. If an employee complains about a specific feature of the building, such as ramps, or a lack of equipment, it signals that the employer is aware a reasonable adjustment is needed. This would be perceived as the employer’s responsibility to address the issue.
What Happens if You Don't Comply?
If you fail to comply with your duty to make reasonable adjustments for disability at work, you are discriminating against disabled employees and are leaving yourself vulnerable to a claim. This also applies to people applying and interviewing for jobs.
It might be the case that you feel the adjustment required was not reasonable. In this case you should:
- Make an effort to talk with the employee involved and explain your decision.
- Try to find another way to support them by making other adjustments that are reasonable.
If one of your employees feels like they’ve been discriminated against for a disability at work, their first attempt at resolving it should be to make an informal complaint to their line manager (or potential hiring manager if they are a job applicant).
On the other hand, if the problem can’t be resolved informally, they may make a claim at an employment tribunal. Acas says employment tribunal claimants usually must notify Acas within the time limit, which is normally 3 months minus 1 day.
If a tribunal finds that you failed to make reasonable adjustments, compensation is uncapped. For claims presented on or after 6 April 2026, the Courts and Tribunals Judiciary sets Vento injury-to-feelings bands at £1,300 to £12,600, £12,600 to £37,700 and £37,700 to £62,900, with exceptional cases capable of exceeding £62,900.
How To Avoid Complaints
The best way to avoid complaints is to look actively for barriers that may disadvantage disabled employees or job applicants. This starts with your recruitment process and should always be at the front of your mind throughout an employee’s time with you.
Employees returning to work after a prolonged absence related to ill health present another opportunity to manage disability at work. Consider conducting a return-to-work interview to understand any new needs they might have and how you can make relevant alterations.
One area in particular to be sensitive and aware of is if someone is suffering from long-term physical or mental health problems. If problems are allowed to persist for a long time and reasonable adjustments are put off, the likelihood of a successful claim is going to increase drastically.
It’s also important to remember that every individual experiences disability and illness differently. This means it’s crucial that you don’t make generalisations about a particular issue. For example, if one person is content without a ramp at the entrance, it doesn’t necessarily mean another person would feel the same way.
Listening to your employees and having an open and honest dialogue with them is the best way to understand their issues and requirements. Together you can agree on the best course of action and make a written plan together.
Acas recommends reviewing reasonable adjustments regularly, for example every 6 months or when the employee’s role, workplace or condition changes, and keeping a written record of what has been agreed.
A central HR system such as Factorial can help HR teams store adjustment requests, manager responses, review dates and supporting documents in one employee record, making follow-up easier and reducing the risk of informal agreements being lost.
When it comes to disability at work, detailing everything in writing is integral. As noted by Acas, recording requests, decisions, reasons and review dates gives HR a clearer evidence trail if a complaint or tribunal claim arises.
Get Started with Factorial
Factorial’s all-in-one software transforms clunky, manual processes into simplified and efficient ones. This allows your HR team to focus more on their team and less on administrative tasks.
By replacing excel spreadsheets and endless paperwork with a digital solution, you will remove the common roadblocks that HR come up against. Your HR team will be equipped with the tools they need to enact and enable rather than hinder and block.
Our HR software collates all of the processes related to time management, talent management, legal and finance in one place. This frees up valuable time that allows HR teams to focus on making strategic decisions and improving company efficiency.
FAQ
What are the three types of reasonable adjustments?
The three main types of reasonable adjustments are changing a policy or practice that puts a disabled person at a disadvantage, altering a physical feature of the workplace, and providing an auxiliary aid or service to support a disabled employee.
What is an example of a reasonable adjustment under the Equality Act 2010?
Examples include providing a specialist keyboard for an employee with arthritis, allowing flexible working hours, installing audio-visual fire alarms for a deaf employee, or providing an accessible parking space. The adjustment should remove a barrier the employee faces.
What is the duty to make adjustments under Section 20 of the Equality Act 2010?
This duty requires employers to take proactive steps to remove, reduce, or prevent obstacles a disabled worker or job applicant faces. This ensures they are not at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled people in the workplace.
What is considered a disability?
Under the Equality Act 2010, a disability is a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. “Long-term” means it has lasted or will last for at least 12 months.
What if an employer cannot make reasonable adjustments?
An employer is not required to make an adjustment if it is unreasonable, for example, due to excessive cost or impracticality. In this case, the employer should explain the decision to the employee and explore alternative ways to provide support.
