The Equality Act Duty to Make Reasonable Adjustments

It is part of the wider Reasonable Adjustments and Equality Act 2010 guide.

The duty to make reasonable adjustments means that an organisation may need to take reasonable steps to remove or reduce a substantial disadvantage experienced by a disabled person.

In practice, that can mean changing a policy, adapting a process, providing equipment, changing communication, adjusting working arrangements or making an environment more accessible.

The duty exists because treating everyone exactly the same can still produce unequal outcomes.

The Equality Act duty is framed around disabled people. Neurodivergent people may be covered where their neurodivergence has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on day-to-day activities.

That distinction matters. Calling All Minds works extensively with neurodivergent people, but it should not imply that neurodivergence is automatically a separate legal category under the reasonable adjustment duty.

The practical approach is still the same: understand the barrier, understand the disadvantage and consider what would reduce it.

The reasonable adjustment duty is often explained through three types of barrier.

These are legal terms, but the practical question is simple: what is creating the disadvantage?

Substantial disadvantage means more than minor or trivial disadvantage.

It does not mean the person must be unable to do something altogether. A process can still create substantial disadvantage if it makes access, work or participation much harder because of disability.

For example, a person may technically be able to attend a meeting, but still be substantially disadvantaged if the meeting format prevents them from processing information, contributing or retaining action points.

This is why reasonable adjustment conversations should look beyond surface access.

Reasonable does not mean unlimited. It also does not mean optional whenever an adjustment is inconvenient.

A decision may involve considering effectiveness, practicality, cost, organisational resources, impact on the disabled person, impact on the service or team and whether alternatives are available.

The key point is that the request should be considered properly. A reflexive "we do not do that" is not good practice.

Reasonable adjustments appear in different settings. The exact legal detail can vary, but the practical idea is similar: reduce disadvantage and improve access.

In service settings, the reasonable adjustment duty is often anticipatory. That means service providers should think in advance about what disabled people may need rather than waiting until someone is excluded.

This is different from many workplace situations, where adjustments are often triggered by an individual's circumstances or request.

The principle is important for digital access, customer journeys, events, training, forms and public-facing communication. A service should not wait for every barrier to be discovered through failure.

An organisation requires every job applicant to complete the same timed written exercise. The test is not assessing speed. It is meant to assess judgement and problem solving.

A dyslexic candidate asks for extra time or an alternative format. The employer says no because everyone must complete the same task in the same way.

That response may feel equal on the surface, but it can still create disadvantage. If speed is not the core skill being assessed, the employer should consider whether the process can be adjusted while preserving the purpose of the assessment.

Reasonable adjustments often require that distinction: what is essential and what is just habit?

A failure to make reasonable adjustments can create legal risk. It can also damage trust, increase absence, worsen performance issues and push people out of work or services.

Organisations reduce risk when they respond promptly, document decisions, assign ownership, implement agreed changes and review whether support is working.

That is why the duty cannot be separated from process. Understanding the law is useful. Managing the adjustment is what makes it real.

AXS Passport does not replace legal judgement. It supports the operational process around adjustment requests.

It can help organisations capture the request, understand the barrier, record agreed adjustments, assign responsibility, track implementation and review support over time.

That matters because the reasonable adjustment duty is not fulfilled by intention alone. The adjustment has to move from discussion to action.

Last checked: May 2026