Legal5 min read

Reasonable adjustments in job interviews: what UK employers must offer

Neuro Hire Network

31 March 2026

The legal duty to make reasonable adjustments does not begin when you start a job. It begins the moment you enter a recruitment process.

Under the Equality Act 2010, employers have the same duty to make adjustments for job applicants as they do for employees. If you need adjustments to demonstrate your abilities during an interview or assessment, you are entitled to ask for them - and the employer is required to consider that request seriously.

What you can ask for

The range of interview adjustments is broad. Here are examples that are commonly requested and generally considered reasonable:

Format adjustments

Written questions rather than verbal, or a written summary of questions in advance
Extra time for written assessments or tasks
The opportunity to prepare answers in advance where the role permits
A one-to-one interview rather than a panel

Environment adjustments

A quieter room away from open-plan spaces
Removal of unnecessary distractions
Video interview as an alternative to in-person, where the role permits

Process adjustments

A longer break between stages
Questions sent in writing before the interview
A structured format rather than a conversational one
Clear information in advance about who will be present and what the format will be

Practical adjustments

An accessible venue or remote option if travel is difficult
Parking close to the building if you cannot use public transport

Request what you actually need - you do not need to ask for everything on this list.

When to ask

You can ask for adjustments at any point during the recruitment process.

At the application stage - many application forms include a question about adjustments. If they do, answer it. If they don't, and you know you will need something for an interview, you can raise it in a covering note.

After receiving an interview invitation - the most common point. Reply to the invitation email and include your request in the same message.

On arrival - if something comes up you had not anticipated, you can ask on the day. Employers should make reasonable efforts to accommodate.

What you need to disclose

You do not need to name your diagnosis. You can describe what you need without labelling a condition.

"I find it easier to process questions in writing - would it be possible to receive the interview questions in advance, or to have them written for me to refer to?" is sufficient.

If you do name a condition, the employer has a legal duty not to discriminate against you on that basis. The Equality Act's protections apply from the moment you apply.

Health and disability questions before a job offer

Employers are generally restricted from asking about your health or disability before making you a job offer. There are limited exceptions - for example, to check whether you can carry out a function that is intrinsic to the role.

If you are asked intrusive medical questions early in the process, before an offer has been made, that may be unlawful. Note the question and the context.

If your request is refused

An employer who refuses a reasonable interview adjustment without being able to justify that refusal may be in breach of the Equality Act. If you are rejected following a refused adjustment request, document everything:

When you made the request
What you asked for
What the employer said
What happened at interview
The outcome

This documentation matters if you later wish to raise a complaint with ACAS or bring a tribunal claim. The time limit is three months minus one day from the act you are complaining about.