ADHD can count as a disability under the Equality Act 2010, which means your employer must make reasonable adjustments once they know, or could reasonably be expected to know, about it. You don’t have to tell them, but they can’t adjust for something they don’t know about. Access to Work, a government grant for extra support at work, covers England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland has its own scheme and its own disability law.
In short
- ADHD is a disability under the Equality Act 2010 if it has a substantial, long-term effect on your day-to-day activities, judged as if you weren’t on treatment. Northern Ireland uses the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
- You have no general legal duty to tell your employer, but the duty to adjust depends on them knowing, or being expected to know.
- Access to Work can fund extra support such as equipment, software or a support worker. It doesn’t pay for adjustments your employer must make. You don’t need a diagnosis to apply.
- Applications are slow: 66,700 cases were waiting in February 2026, and the average processing time was 100.5 days between April 2025 and January 2026.
- The scheme is under review, so check GOV.UK for current rules.
What applies in each UK nation?
| Nation | Disability law | Government grant | Free employment advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| England, Scotland, Wales | Equality Act 2010 | Access to Work (GOV.UK) | Acas |
| Northern Ireland | Disability Discrimination Act 1995 | Access to Work run by the Department for Communities (nidirect) | Labour Relations Agency and the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland |
Is ADHD a disability at work?
Often, yes, but not automatically. Under the Equality Act you’re disabled if you have a physical or mental impairment with a “substantial” (more than minor or trivial) and “long-term” (12 months or more) effect on normal day-to-day activities. The law says to judge those effects as if you weren’t taking treatment (Schedule 1), so well-controlled symptoms on medication don’t necessarily stop you counting.
You don’t need a diagnosis to ask your employer for changes, but a diagnosis is the clearest evidence of an impairment. If you’re not sure whether you have ADHD, an adult ADHD assessment can answer that. It’s evidence, not a guarantee that an employer will agree to a particular change.
What reasonable adjustments could I ask for?
Acas describes reasonable adjustments as changes that remove or reduce a disadvantage linked to a disability. They can cover how you work, your workplace, your hours, and equipment or support. They’re tailored to you, and they only have to be reasonable: an employer can consider whether a change would help, whether it’s practical and affordable, and whether it affects others’ health and safety. These are examples to discuss, not entitlements.
| If you find it hard to… | You could ask for… |
|---|---|
| Concentrate in a noisy or busy space | A quieter desk or room, noise-cancelling headphones, or some home working |
| Remember instructions and deadlines | Instructions in writing after meetings, a shared task list, regular check-ins |
| Start and finish large tasks | Work broken into steps with interim deadlines, and clear priorities |
| Manage time and organisation | Flexible start and finish times, extra time to learn new systems |
| Follow meetings | An agenda in advance, written minutes, time to process questions |
| Stay seated or on task all day | Scheduled breaks and permission to move around |
Do I have to tell my employer I have ADHD?
No. But Acas says the duty to make adjustments applies when the employer knows, or could reasonably be expected to know, that you’re disabled. If they haven’t been told and there are no obvious signs, they may not be expected to know. In Great Britain, employers generally can’t ask about your health or disability before offering you a job, apart from limited exceptions (Equality Act, section 60). If your job has its own health rules, check your contract.
If you decide to tell them, you can choose who: a line manager, HR or occupational health. Describe the difficulty and the change that would help, and ask how they’ll record and share the information.
Tip from our clinicians
Lead with what helps. “I find it hard to hold on to spoken instructions, so a short written summary after meetings would help” is clearer for a manager than a label alone. Keep a copy of what you asked for and what was agreed.
What if my employer refuses or does nothing?
- Ask again in writing. Name the difficulty and the specific change, and ask for reasons if they say no.
- Suggest alternatives. Employers should look for other reasonable support even if they can’t do your first choice.
- Use your employer’s grievance procedure if the issue isn’t resolved.
- Get free advice from Acas (or the Labour Relations Agency in Northern Ireland). In Great Britain you must notify Acas before making an employment tribunal claim. Time limits are strict, so get advice early.
How can an ADHD report help at work?
Your report isn’t a legal requirement, but it can show your employer how ADHD affects you and what might help. The employer still decides what’s reasonable and may ask their own occupational health service for advice. Occupational health is a service, usually run by larger employers or an outside provider, where nurses or doctors advise on how health affects work. They advise and the employer decides, so ask what will be shared with your employer before you attend.
If you’re assessed with us
Your adult assessment is a 60-minute video appointment with Dr Helen Carter, Consultant Psychiatrist, after online questionnaires. It includes a written report and treatment plan, sent within 48 hours of the assessment, and you choose whether to share it with your employer. If you’d like the report to cover how ADHD affects you at work, tell us when you book, and the clinician decides what it can say. See our fees.
What is Access to Work?
Access to Work is a government grant for the extra costs of working with a health condition or disability. You must be 16 or over, live and work in England, Scotland or Wales, and be in paid work or about to start or return within the next 12 weeks. Employment, self-employment and apprenticeships all count; voluntary work doesn’t. GOV.UK lists ADHD as an example and says you don’t need a diagnosis to apply.
What it can pay for
- specialist equipment and assistive software
- support workers, such as a job coach
- travel to work, if you can’t use public transport
- vehicle adaptations and physical changes to your workplace, including your home if you work there
- mental health support, including a tailored plan and one-to-one sessions. You apply to Able Futures or Maximus, but only one, and you can only claim this once
The grant doesn’t affect other benefits and doesn’t have to be repaid. You or your employer may need to pay some costs first and claim them back. It doesn’t cover adjustments your employer must legally make. Grants have an annual cap, which the House of Commons Library gave as £69,260 in June 2026.
How to apply
- Apply online through GOV.UK, or phone the helpline on 0800 121 7479 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).
- Have ready your contact details, workplace address, how your condition affects your work and the support you think you need.
- Give a workplace contact who can confirm you work there. GOV.UK says they won’t be contacted without your permission. Self-employed applicants need their Unique Taxpayer Reference.
- Follow the steps you’re sent, and keep receipts for anything you pay for upfront.
Self-employed, apprentice or between jobs
If you’re self-employed, you can apply if your annual turnover is at least £6,500. The Equality Act can also cover contractors hired to do the work personally, though there’s no employer to ask, so adjustments may be a conversation with your clients. Apprentices can apply. If you’re starting a job, apply as soon as you have a start date.
Northern Ireland
The Department for Communities runs a separate Access to Work scheme. You make the application yourself, by email or through a work coach at your local Jobs and Benefits office. It pays for items such as special equipment and extra travel costs, but not reasonable adjustments employers must make. Support can be approved for up to three years.
How long does Access to Work take now?
Longer than it should. The House of Commons Library reported 66,700 cases waiting in February 2026 and an average processing time of 100.5 days between April 2025 and January 2026. In a written statement on 19 May 2026, the Department for Work and Pensions said it would recruit 480 more case staff and aims to clear the backlog by September 2027. It said about 96% of cases where the customer was due to start work within four weeks were cleared within 28 days. It is also considering wider changes to keep the scheme “fair and sustainable”, without yet setting out specific reforms. Rules and amounts may change, so read GOV.UK before you rely on them.
Your employer’s duty to make reasonable adjustments continues while you wait, because Access to Work doesn’t replace it.
What about fit notes and time off?
A fit note is for sickness absence. A doctor, nurse, occupational therapist, pharmacist or physiotherapist can say you “may be fit for work” with a phased return, altered hours, amended duties or workplace adaptations. GOV.UK’s guidance for employers says this is advice, and employers aren’t obliged to agree, but they should consider it.
Next step
Ready for an adult ADHD assessment?
A 60-minute assessment by secure video with a consultant psychiatrist, after short online questionnaires. You get a written report and plan within 48 hours. No GP referral needed. It costs £289.
Common questions
Can my employer ask for proof of ADHD?
Employers often ask for some information on how a condition affects work, such as a letter or an occupational health report, so they can decide what’s reasonable. Ask what they actually need rather than sending everything, and remember you choose what to share.
Can I be dismissed for having ADHD?
Treating you unfavourably because of a disability, including dismissing you, can be unlawful discrimination under the Equality Act. If you’re worried, get advice from Acas (or the Labour Relations Agency in Northern Ireland) early.
Will my employer know I’ve applied to Access to Work?
The service asks for a workplace contact who can confirm you work there, and says they won’t be contacted without your permission. It can also advise your employer if changes should be made as reasonable adjustments, so your employer may hear about your application.
Can I get Access to Work between jobs?
You can apply if you’re about to start or return to paid work within the next 12 weeks. You can’t apply for support for voluntary work.
Sources
- GOV.UK. Definition of disability under the Equality Act 2010. Last updated 10 January 2025.
- legislation.gov.uk. Equality Act 2010, Schedule 1 and section 60.
- Acas. Reasonable adjustments. Last updated 30 January 2025.
- Acas. Early conciliation. Last updated 1 October 2026.
- GOV.UK. Access to Work: get support if you have a disability or health condition, with its eligibility and how-to-apply pages. Accessed October 2026.
- House of Commons Library. Access to Work (SN06666). 26 June 2026.
- UK Parliament. Access to Work: written statement HCWS34. 19 May 2026.
- nidirect. Access to Work (Northern Ireland). Last updated 20 May 2026.
- GOV.UK. Getting the most out of the fit note: guidance for employers and line managers. 6 October 2023.
