Reasonable Adjustments: A Practical Employer's Guide
What the duty means, how to handle a request step by step, and how to decide what counts as "reasonable" — without needing to become an Equality Act expert.
Most managers want to do the right thing when someone needs support at work — they just aren't sure what the law actually requires, what they have to pay for, or when they are allowed to say no.
This guide explains when the reasonable adjustments duty applies, how to handle a request without overcomplicating it, and how to decide what is genuinely "reasonable" for a business your size.
When does the duty apply?
The duty to make reasonable adjustments comes from the Equality Act 2010. It is triggered when a disabled person is placed at a substantial disadvantage compared with people who are not disabled, because of:
- A provision, criterion or practice — how you do things, such as fixed start times or an absence trigger.
- A physical feature — steps, doorways, lighting, workstation layout.
- The need for an auxiliary aid — equipment or support, such as screen-reading software or a support worker.
In practical terms
The duty applies to every employer — there is no small-business exemption — and once you know (or could reasonably be expected to know) about someone's disability, the duty is triggered whether or not they formally ask. You cannot charge the employee for an adjustment.
How to handle a request, step by step
A consistent process is what protects you. We've tagged each step so you can see what the law requires versus what is good practice.
Take the request seriously and record it
RequiredWhat to do: Note what was asked for, when, and by whom. A request does not have to use the words “reasonable adjustment”.
Why it matters: Once you are on notice, the duty is live. A contemporaneous record is your best evidence that you engaged.
Understand the barrier, not just the diagnosis
RequiredWhat to do: Focus on what the person is struggling to do and why, rather than requiring a label. Get medical or occupational health input where the picture is unclear.
Why it matters: The duty is about removing a disadvantage. You do not need a formal diagnosis to owe it.
Consider the options together
RecommendedWhat to do: Discuss possible adjustments with the employee — they often know what would help most. Consider Access to Work funding.
Why it matters: Collaborative handling is both more effective and much easier to defend than a decision made for someone.
Decide what is reasonable — and explain it
RequiredWhat to do: Weigh effectiveness, cost, practicality and your resources. If you decline a specific adjustment, say why and offer alternatives.
Why it matters: Refusing to engage at all is where employers get into difficulty — not declining one impractical option for a documented reason.
Implement, then review
RecommendedWhat to do: Put the adjustment in place with a clear owner and timescale, and check later that it is working.
Why it matters: Needs change over time. A short review shows continued engagement and catches adjustments that have stopped helping.
A written reasonable adjustments / workplace passport
Depends on your businessWhat to do: A simple record the employee carries between managers, capturing agreed adjustments.
Why it matters: Most useful in larger teams or where people change manager often; avoids re-explaining the same needs.
Common adjustments (and what they cost)
Many effective adjustments cost little or nothing. Common examples:
Takeaway: the test is whether the adjustment is effective and proportionate — not whether it is expensive. Cheap, practical changes are often the most defensible.
When to get professional advice
Building a clear policy and process is well within reach for most businesses. Consider specialist HR or legal advice when:
- you are considering dismissal or capability action where disability is in play
- whether the person is disabled under the Act is genuinely disputed
- the adjustments needed are complex, costly, or you are unsure what is reasonable
- a grievance or tribunal claim has been raised
Bounda keeps your policy and process current; managers apply it consistently; and specialists handle the genuinely difficult individual cases. That division is more honest — and more protective — than assuming software alone makes you "covered".
How Bounda helps with reasonable adjustments
Start with your existing policies
Paste in your equality, sickness or capability policies — no need to start from scratch.
See where the duty is missing
Bounda flags where a policy lacks a reasonable adjustments process, or where absence triggers ignore disability-related absence.
Update the wording
Generate a clearer version with a proper adjustments process, in your own tone.
Understand every change
Each finding cites the Equality Act or Acas guidance, with a plain-English explanation to review before you accept it.
Stay current
When guidance or case law shifts, Bounda shows which parts of your handbook may be affected.
Bounda helps with the routine work of checking, explaining and updating your policies — so you can reserve professional legal advice for the cases that genuinely require it.
Frequently Asked Questions about Reasonable Adjustments
What is a reasonable adjustment?
A reasonable adjustment is a change an employer makes to remove or reduce a disadvantage a disabled person faces at work. Under the Equality Act 2010, the duty applies to provisions, criteria or practices, to physical features, and to the provision of auxiliary aids. Examples include changing working hours, adjusting duties, providing equipment, or allowing more time to return from sickness absence.
Who qualifies as disabled under the Equality Act 2010?
A person is disabled if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term (12 months or more) adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. Some conditions, such as cancer, HIV and multiple sclerosis, are covered from the point of diagnosis. You do not need a formal diagnosis to owe the duty — what matters is whether the legal test is met and whether you knew, or could reasonably be expected to know, about the disability.
Do small businesses have to make reasonable adjustments?
Yes. There is no small-employer exemption from the reasonable adjustments duty. It applies to every employer regardless of size. What is considered "reasonable" can take account of your resources, but the duty itself is not optional for smaller businesses.
Who pays for reasonable adjustments?
The employer normally pays for reasonable adjustments — you cannot pass the cost to the employee. The government’s Access to Work scheme can provide grants towards certain costs such as specialist equipment or support workers, which can make an adjustment reasonable that might otherwise be too expensive.
Can I refuse a reasonable adjustment?
You only have to make adjustments that are reasonable. Whether an adjustment is reasonable depends on how effective it would be, its cost and practicality, and your size and resources. You can decline a specific adjustment that is genuinely not reasonable, but you should consider alternatives and document your reasoning. Refusing to engage at all is where employers get into difficulty.
What happens if I fail to make reasonable adjustments?
Failure to make a reasonable adjustment is a form of disability discrimination under the Equality Act 2010. An employee can bring an employment tribunal claim, and compensation for discrimination is uncapped and can include an award for injury to feelings. This is an area where getting the process right, and taking advice on difficult individual cases, is worthwhile.
Does your policy set out a reasonable adjustments process?
Paste in your existing policy and see whether it handles disability-related requests properly.
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