My Health or Mental Health Is Affecting Work, What Are Reasonable Adjustments
A health problem can make a job that was previously manageable suddenly much harder.
A health problem can make a job that was previously manageable suddenly much harder.
Concentration may fluctuate. Busy environments can become overwhelming. Treatment appointments clash with work. Fatigue changes what you can sustain. Anxiety makes a particular task or setting difficult.
Reasonable adjustments are changes intended to reduce disadvantages experienced by disabled workers. They are not limited to ramps, specialist chairs or visible physical conditions.
Can a mental-health condition count as a disability?
Yes, it can.
Under the Equality Act, a mental-health problem can amount to a disability where the legal definition is met. Acas explains that this generally involves a substantial adverse effect on normal day-to-day activities that is long term, lasting, or expected to last, at least 12 months.
Symptoms can fluctuate. A condition does not necessarily stop being relevant because there are better periods.
What could an adjustment look like?
Adjustments depend on the person and the job.
Examples can include changes to working hours, more frequent breaks, a phased return, changes to how work is organised, reducing particular stressors, providing equipment, changing location or allowing time for treatment.
An adjustment is not automatically reasonable simply because an employee requests it. What is reasonable depends on factors including effectiveness, practicality, cost and the employer’s circumstances.
Start with the disadvantage, not a shopping list
It can help to explain:
what aspect of work is difficult;
how your condition affects it;
when the difficulty is worse or better; and
what change might reduce the disadvantage.
For example, “I need support with unpredictable last-minute changes because they significantly worsen my symptoms” can lead to a more useful discussion than simply saying “I want to work from home.”
Do I have to disclose everything?
You may not want colleagues or managers to know detailed medical information.
Think about what the employer reasonably needs to understand the disadvantage and possible adjustment.
Occupational Health or medical evidence can sometimes help. Employers also need sufficient knowledge of disability-related circumstances for some legal duties to arise, so complete silence can make practical support more difficult.
What if my condition is not legally a disability?
Acas recommends employers still take mental-health problems seriously and explore support even where the Equality Act disability definition is not met.
Simple workplace changes can help somebody remain productive and well without a legal dispute.
So it can still be worth having the conversation rather than treating reasonable support as available only after a legal threshold has been proven.
Keep a record and review what works
Where an adjustment is agreed, record it and consider when it will be reviewed.
Mental health and other conditions can change. An arrangement that works during treatment may need altering later.
If an adjustment is refused, ask for the reason and whether alternatives can be considered.
When legal advice may help
Failure to make reasonable adjustments for a disabled person can amount to disability discrimination.
If you believe your employer knows, or should know, about a disability and you are being substantially disadvantaged without appropriate adjustments being considered, independent advice can help you understand the legal test.
MH360 cannot determine whether a particular adjustment is legally required.
Last reviewed
6 September 2026
Important informationThis guide provides general information only and does not constitute legal, medical or other professional advice. Employment rights depend on individual circumstances and the law can change. If you are concerned about your legal position, check current information and consider advice from Acas, a trade union, an appropriately qualified adviser or an employment-law professional.