Reasonable Adjustment Cost Calculator UK 2025/26

Under the Equality Act 2010, employers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees and job applicants. This applies when a physical feature of the workplace, a provision, criterion, or practice, or a lack of auxiliary aids puts a disabled person at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled colleagues.

Factors in assessing reasonableness include: the cost and practicality of the adjustment, the size and financial resources of the employer, the likely effectiveness in removing the disadvantage, and the nature of the employer's activities. An adjustment that costs £500 for a large employer may be reasonable, while the same for a micro-business may not be.

Access to Work is an HMRC/DWP scheme providing grants of up to £71,200/year (2025/26) to help disabled people start or stay in work. It can cover: specialist equipment, travel costs, support workers, adaptations to premises, job coaches, and communication support. Applications are made by the employee to their local Jobcentre Plus.

The grant is paid to the employee (or occasionally the employer). It covers costs above a threshold — employers pay the first portion depending on company size (small businesses pay less). Large employers pay the first £1,000 of costs. The grant is not taxable. Access to Work must be applied for by the employee before starting or soon after starting the role.

Common mental health adjustments include: flexible working hours, working from home, reduced noise environments, adjusted performance targets during recovery periods, mentor support, phased return after absence, and removal of a specific stressor (e.g. reassignment from a particular manager or team). Mental health conditions can constitute disabilities under the Equality Act.

PIP (Personal Independence Payment) and ESA (Employment Support Allowance) are separate benefit assessments unrelated to employment reasonable adjustments. However, the same underlying disability may support both a PIP claim and a workplace adjustment request. An employer cannot refuse adjustments merely because an employee does or does not claim PIP.

Direct discrimination: treating a disabled person less favourably because of their disability. Indirect discrimination: applying a provision that puts disabled people at a disadvantage without justification. Reasonable adjustments specifically address indirect disadvantage. Failing to make a reasonable adjustment is a separate, distinct unlawful act under the Equality Act.

An adjustment passport (sometimes called a workplace passport) is an agreed record of the adjustments in place for an employee. It transfers between roles or managers so adjustments don't need to be renegotiated. Many large employers and the Civil Service use them. They reduce time, cost, and stress for disabled employees when changing roles.

Yes. The duty to make reasonable adjustments applies to all stages of employment including recruitment. For example: providing interview questions in advance for candidates with cognitive impairments, offering a ground-floor interview room, providing a BSL interpreter, or allowing extra time for assessment tasks.

Common software adjustments: screen reader software (e.g. JAWS or NVDA, £500–£1,500/year), magnification software (ZoomText, £500/year), voice recognition (Dragon NaturallySpeaking, £250–£500), text-to-speech tools, high-contrast display settings, and alternative keyboard/mouse equipment for motor impairments.

Yes, but only if the cost is genuinely disproportionate relative to the employer's resources. An employer cannot simply say 'too expensive' without evidence. Larger employers face a higher bar. Courts and employment tribunals examine the employer's total resources, not just a specific department's budget. HMRC guidance notes that most adjustments cost under £500.

An employee can bring an employment tribunal claim for failure to make reasonable adjustments. There is no financial cap on discrimination awards. Compensation covers financial losses (pay, pension), injury to feelings, and potentially aggravated damages for particularly egregious conduct. ACAS early conciliation is required before tribunal.