Interview adjustments you can ask for (UK)
Most people know that reasonable adjustments apply once you have a job. Fewer people know that the same legal duty applies during the hiring process - including the interview.
Under the Equality Act 2010, employers must make reasonable adjustments for disabled job applicants. Neurodivergent conditions - including ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and dyspraxia - can all qualify as disabilities under that Act when they have a substantial and long-term effect on day-to-day activities. You do not need a formal diagnosis. You do not need to use the word "disability". What matters is the functional impact, and that you have asked.
This article covers the specific adjustments you can ask for, how to phrase the request, and what to do if you are ignored or refused.
When to ask
As soon as you are invited to interview. That is the right moment.
Reply to the invitation email directly, and include your request in the same message. You do not need a separate conversation, a formal letter, or a medical certificate. A single sentence in your reply is enough.
If you miss the window before the interview, you can still ask on the day - see the section below on that.
What you can ask for
Here is a categorised list. Not all of these will apply to you - ask for what you actually need, not everything on the list.
Time and format
- Extra time to answer each question - useful if you need longer to process verbal questions or organise your thoughts before speaking
- Questions sent in writing in advance - particularly helpful for autistic candidates who find it easier to prepare structured answers rather than responding in real time
- A take-home task instead of a live exercise - if the role involves written work, a task completed in your own time is often more representative than a timed exercise under pressure
- Phone or video instead of in-person - if sensory sensitivities, travel, or the environment of an unfamiliar building would affect your performance, a remote format is a reasonable alternative
Environment
- A quiet room - away from open-plan offices, background chatter, or noisy reception areas
- No background music - a small ask, often easy to action
- Reduced panel size - one interviewer instead of three significantly reduces cognitive and social load for many neurodivergent candidates
- Consistent lighting - avoiding fluorescent overhead lights, or asking whether a lamp can be used instead
Format and communication
- Questions asked one at a time - multi-part questions delivered in a single sentence are genuinely harder to track; asking for them to be separated is a straightforward format adjustment
- No follow-up questions during your answer - some candidates find being interrupted mid-answer disrupts their processing; you can ask for space to finish before the next question is asked
- No small talk before the formal questions - the social preamble before structured interviews is not assessed, but it can be exhausting and anxiety-inducing; you can ask to go straight to the structure
- A written brief about what to expect - who will be in the room, how many questions, how long each section takes, whether there are assessments. This is information employers should provide anyway; asking for it in writing is always reasonable.
Practical aids
- Printed questions to refer to during the interview - so you are not holding the question in working memory while trying to answer it
- An extra copy of your CV or portfolio to annotate - useful if you want to make notes or refer to specific examples without relying on memory
- Short breaks between sections - if the interview has multiple stages or a long assessment, a five-minute break between them can make a significant difference
How to word the request
You do not need to name your diagnosis. You do not need to explain your medical history. You need to name the adjustment and say briefly why it helps.
Formal email version:
"Thank you for the interview invitation. I have a disability that affects how I process verbal information under pressure, and I would be grateful if it were possible to receive the interview questions in writing in advance, and to have a printed copy to refer to during the interview. Please let me know if you need any further information."
Brief casual version (replying to a quick email invite):
"Thanks - looking forward to it. Quick note: I find it helpful to have questions in writing rather than verbally. Would it be possible to send them in advance, or have them written down on the day? No problem if not, but wanted to ask."
Key point: Both work. The formal version is useful if you want a clear paper trail. The casual version is fine for a relaxed recruiter or a startup environment. What matters is that you have made the request in writing so there is a record.
You do not need to justify the adjustment at length, and you do not need to attach anything. The employer may follow up to ask for more information - they are entitled to do that - but the initial request can be short.
If they say no, or do not respond
If an employer refuses a reasonable interview adjustment without being able to justify that refusal, that is likely to be unlawful under the Equality Act.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is clear in its Employment Code of Practice: adjustments at the interview and selection stage are almost always reasonable because they typically cost nothing and impose no significant operational burden. A quiet room, written questions, extra time - an employer refusing these without explanation is on weak legal ground.
If you are refused or ignored:
- Document everything. Keep the email chain. Note the date you made the request, what you asked for, and what the response (or non-response) was.
- Follow up in writing. If you asked verbally, send an email afterwards to confirm the ask and the response.
- Raise it formally if you are rejected. If you believe a refused adjustment contributed to your not getting the role, you can raise a complaint with ACAS. If it is unresolved, you can bring a claim in an employment tribunal. The time limit is three months minus one day from the act of discrimination.
ACAS has a free early conciliation service. You do not need a solicitor to use it.
What if you forgot to ask in advance?
You can still ask on the day. Tell the recruiter or hiring manager at the start of the interview what would help. Most will try to accommodate - a quiet room, a printed copy of questions, a five-minute pause before you start.
You might feel awkward about asking at the last minute. Do it anyway. An interviewer who holds it against you for asking is showing you something useful about how that workplace handles difference.
This is separate from workplace adjustments once you are employed
What you can ask for at interview is not the same as the adjustments you may want to request if you get the job. Once you are employed, a broader range of ongoing adjustments applies and the process is different.
For a full guide to workplace reasonable adjustments - including how to make the request formally and what employers are required to do - see the companion article.
If you want more detail on the employer-side obligations around recruitment specifically, including preparing for the interview itself - what employers must offer and what to do if the process is not accessible - that article covers the recruitment duty in full.
If you are job searching and want to find employers who treat adjustment requests as a normal part of hiring rather than an inconvenience, create your profile on Neuro Hire Network to get matched to inclusive roles.
