Free resource
Reasonable adjustments request template
By Nancy Osazee, Founder
A short email you can send before an interview, asking for practical changes. Questions in advance, extra time, a quiet room, camera off, a break, and written instructions.
You do not have to name a condition to ask. Say what you need for the interview, not your whole history.
Written by Nancy Osazee, Founder of CareerPilot. This is a practical note, not medical advice and not a diagnosis. The legal points are a short plain summary, not advice about your own situation.
How to ask for interview adjustments
- Decide the practical change. Pick the changes that would let you show your work. You do not have to ask for all of them.
- Email the person who booked the interview. Write to the recruiter or hiring manager. Ask early enough that they can actually arrange it.
- Keep the request specific. Name the interview, the date, and the change. Leave out a long medical history.
- Keep a copy. Save the email. If you need to follow up, you can point back to what you already asked for.
What the Equality Act 2010 says, in brief
Section 20 of the Equality Act 2010 says employers must take reasonable steps to avoid a substantial disadvantage for a disabled person. That covers application forms, tests, and interviews, not only the job itself.
Section 6 defines disability as a physical or mental impairment with a substantial and long-term adverse effect on normal day-to-day activities. ADHD is not automatically that in law. It depends on the person. This page cannot tell you whether it describes you.
Reasonable depends on the change, the cost, and the size of the employer. An employer does not have to agree to every request. Access to Work does not pay for these adjustments. They are the employer's duty. The official pages are on GOV.UK and Acas.
- Reasonable adjustments for workers: https://www.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments-for-disabled-workers
- Adjustments in recruitment: https://www.gov.uk/recruitment-disabled-people/reasonable-adjustments
- Acas guide: https://www.acas.org.uk/reasonable-adjustments
- Equality Act 2010, section 20: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/section/20
Changes people often ask for
- The questions, or at least the topics, in writing beforehand
- Extra time on a written test or a task
- A quiet room, or a video call without background noise
- Camera off, if being on camera makes it hard to think
- A short break if the interview is long
- Instructions in writing as well as spoken
Download it now
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On CareerPilot
Once the adjustments are agreed, you can rehearse the stories in CareerPilot's interview coach.
Questions
Do I have to say I have ADHD?
No. You can ask for the change without a label. Some people name a condition because it makes the request clearer. Either choice is allowed.
What if they say no?
Ask which part is difficult and whether a smaller change would work. An employer does not have to grant every request. If you think the duty applies and it has been refused, Acas and GOV.UK explain the next steps. This page cannot tell you the outcome.
Does Access to Work pay for this?
No. GOV.UK says Access to Work will not pay for reasonable adjustments. Those are the changes the employer must legally make. Access to Work is a separate scheme.