What Are Reasonable Adjustments In The Workplace? A UK Employer’s Guide To Legal Compliance

If you run a business and employ staff in the UK, it’s vital to understand your responsibilities around workplace equality. One key concept that often causes confusion is “reasonable adjustments.” But what are reasonable adjustments, and what do UK employers actually need to do to comply?

Getting this right doesn’t just help you avoid legal risks - it makes your workplace more inclusive, improves staff morale, and boosts productivity for everyone. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through what reasonable adjustments mean under the law, examples of what counts, your process for implementing them, and how to protect your business for the long term.

Ready to build a fair and legally compliant workplace? Keep reading for everything you need to know about reasonable adjustments for your UK business.

What Are Reasonable Adjustments? The Fundamentals For UK Employers

Reasonable adjustments are changes an employer must make to remove or reduce disadvantages faced by disabled employees (or job applicants) in the workplace. The aim is to make sure disabled people are not put at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled colleagues.

This duty comes straight from the Equality Act 2010, which sets out your legal obligation as an employer to support equality and prevent disability discrimination. If you’re employing staff for the first time, understanding this duty is as essential as your contracts or workplace policies.

So, what does this mean in practice? It means you are required to take reasonable steps to ensure that a disabled employee can:

• Do their job effectively
• Access benefits and facilities your business provides
• Participate fully in recruitment and promotion processes

A “disability” is defined widely under the Act. It covers any long-term physical or mental impairment that has a substantial impact on someone’s day-to-day life. For more on managing disabilities at work, check out our guide on Managing Disability At Work.

Let’s break that down a bit further.

When Do UK Employers Have To Make Reasonable Adjustments?

The duty kicks in as soon as you know (or could reasonably be expected to know) that an employee or job applicant is disabled and is facing barriers at work because of it.

This means you shouldn’t wait for someone to formally “declare” a disability or make a complaint. If a manager, for example, spots that someone is struggling due to a known health condition, you should proactively consider adjustments.

Here are some typical scenarios where the law expects you to act:

• A candidate for a job interview asks for extra time due to dyslexia
• An employee with anxiety requests a quieter workspace or flexible hours
• A staff member returning after an injury needs adapted duties or workstation adjustments

In summary - as soon as you’re aware of a disability impacting someone’s work life, you’re required to explore what’s reasonable. Ignoring or delaying reasonable adjustments could lead to a disability discrimination claim.

What Are Reasonable Adjustments? Clear Examples To Guide You

Reasonable adjustments are not “one size fits all.” They depend on the person’s needs, your workplace set-up, and the resources available to you as an employer. But here’s a quick list of common examples:

• Physical adjustments: Installing ramps, modifying desks, accessible toilets, reserved parking, or specialist equipment (like large print keyboards).
• Flexible working patterns: Changes to start/finish times, allowing remote work, or offering part-time arrangements.
• Changes to job duties: Reallocating minor tasks a person can’t perform due to their disability, without changing the core role.
• Policy exceptions: Adjusting sickness absence rules, uniform requirements, or performance reviews to fairly accommodate someone’s medical needs.
• Support during recruitment: Accessible interview venues, extra time for tests, or providing materials in alternative formats.
• Providing a support worker: Help with reading, workplace travel, or job coaching if needed.

The golden rule? Always focus on removing the barrier that’s causing the disadvantage. For a more comprehensive overview, our article Managing Disability At Work also demonstrates practical steps for businesses looking to get this right.

How Do You Decide What Counts As “Reasonable”?

Not every adjustment will be “reasonable” for every employer - the law recognises limits, especially for small businesses. To work out what’s reasonable for your company, consider:

• The cost of the change and your business’s resources (reasonableness is judged differently for a start-up vs. a big corporation).
• How practical the adjustment is - will it significantly disrupt business or pose health and safety concerns?
• Effectiveness: Will it actually remove the disadvantage for the employee?
• Whether outside funding or support is available (for example, the government’s Access to Work scheme can help with costs).
• The size and resources of your business - the bigger you are, the more is expected of you.

As a rule of thumb: If making the adjustment would remove or significantly reduce the disadvantage, and you can afford it without causing serious disruption, it’s probably “reasonable.”

The Legal Risks Of Failing To Make Reasonable Adjustments

Failing to make reasonable adjustments isn’t just a “nice to do” - it’s a legal obligation. If you don’t take appropriate action, you could face:

• Discrimination claims brought to an employment tribunal (and a high risk of losing - this is a strict liability duty, meaning intent doesn’t matter)
• Orders for compensation, which can include injury to feelings as well as financial loss
• Reputation damage and a negative workplace culture

It’s crucial to manage this proactively, not just reactively. If you’re unsure what the law requires, seeking timely legal advice is the best way to protect your business. Our guide on avoiding employment claims and tribunals breaks down how to reduce common employment law risks.

What Is The Process For Implementing Reasonable Adjustments?

Making adjustments should always be a collaborative process. Here’s how to approach it, step by step:

1. Talk to the employee: Open a supportive conversation. Ask what changes would help, and listen carefully to their perspective and needs.
2. Assess options and gather information: Consult occupational health or medical experts if needed. Explore practical solutions and available funding.
3. Trial changes: You can agree to pilot an adjustment to see how it works in practice, with regular feedback.
4. Record your process: Document what was discussed, the adjustments offered (and why), and employee feedback. This is crucial for legal protection.
5. Review and update regularly: Disabilities and workplace roles can change, so review adjustments often to ensure they’re still appropriate.

Note: You don’t need to wait for a formal medical report or diagnosis if the disadvantage is clear and the solution is practical.

For more on effectively managing employee adjustments and best practices for conversations, see our resource: Managing GDPR Complaints: A Practical Employer Workflow (relevant for employee data and privacy during these conversations).

Do Small Businesses Have To Make Reasonable Adjustments?

Yes, the duty applies to all UK employers - regardless of size. However, what’s “reasonable” takes your resources and circumstances into account. A small shop won’t be expected to spend thousands on extensive building works. But low-cost changes (like letting staff sit for some tasks, or flexible hours) are usually expected unless there’s a strong reason not to.

Remember: Most reasonable adjustments are not high-cost. The focus is on removing practical barriers, often by thinking flexibly about processes and policies.

Reasonable Adjustments During Recruitment

The law applies from day one - including when you advertise a job, shortlist candidates, and run interviews or tests. It’s unlawful to treat a disabled applicant less favourably because adjustments haven’t been made for them in the application or assessment process.

A few practical steps for employers:

• Always ask candidates if they need adjustments for interviews or assessments.
• Make recruitment materials accessible (think large print, screen-readable PDFs).
• Offer flexibility with interview dates, times, and formats if needed.

For more detailed onboarding and recruitment best practices, including lawful adjustments for new hires, check out our article on A Guide To Employee Onboarding.

What Other Workplace Laws Impact Reasonable Adjustments?

It’s important to remember that reasonable adjustments don’t exist in a vacuum. Other UK workplace laws and policies will also come into play, including:

• Health and safety law: Ensuring adjustments don’t introduce new risks.
• Employment law: Dealing with contracts, sick leave, and dismissals lawfully.
• GDPR and privacy law: Handling employee medical information confidentially, and only with appropriate consent and safeguards. Our guide on GDPR compliance for employers is an essential read.
• Disciplinary and performance management: If an employee’s performance is affected by their condition, you must consider adjustments before taking formal action. For more, see our guide on disciplinary hearings.

Ignoring reasonable adjustments because of blanket business policies, or failing to revisit those policies, is a common pitfall for small employers. Regularly reviewing and updating your workplace policies is key for ongoing compliance.

Best Practices: How Can Employers Proactively Manage Reasonable Adjustments?

Feel like there’s a lot to keep track of? You’re not alone. Here are some steps you can take to make reasonable adjustments a core strength of your business:

• Train your team: Ensure managers understand what are reasonable adjustments and how to spot when they’re needed.
• Build adjustments into hiring and onboarding: Ask all new hires if they require any adjustments, right from the start.
• Review and update employment contracts and policies: Make sure your contracts and staff handbook acknowledge your duty to make adjustments under the Equality Act. Our guide here can help you review your contracts for compliance.
• Keep records: A simple written log of requests, your decision process, and actions taken can be your best legal defence.
• Get specialist help: For challenging or complex cases, don’t hesitate to seek advice from occupational health professionals or a legal expert.

Key Takeaways: What UK Employers Must Know About Reasonable Adjustments

• “Reasonable adjustments” are changes an employer must make to remove barriers for disabled staff - this is a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010.
• The duty applies as soon as you’re aware an employee (or job applicant) is disadvantaged due to disability.
• Adjustments range from physical changes to flexible working policies, and should always focus on removing or reducing the disadvantage.
• What is “reasonable” depends on your resources - but don’t assume cost is always a barrier.
• Failing to make reasonable adjustments can bring legal claims and reputational damage.
• Having up-to-date contracts, policies, and proactive staff training makes compliance much easier.
• Always document requests, decisions, and communications around adjustments.
• Seek expert legal advice for complex cases or if you’re unsure what the law requires.

If you need tailored advice on what are reasonable adjustments for your workplace, or help updating your contracts and policies to meet your Equality Act obligations, contact our friendly legal team for a free, no-obligation chat.

You can reach us at 08081347754 or team@sprintlaw.co.uk. We’re here to help you build a fair, compliant, and thriving business.