Work can be hard to get right with ADHD. Open-plan noise, interruptions, changing priorities and fixed hours can all use up energy that you would rather spend on the job. It helps to know what support exists and who is responsible for it.
Your rights
Acas says that being neurodivergent will often count as a disability under the Equality Act 2010. Whether someone is legally disabled depends on how their condition affects them, and Acas or Citizens Advice can explain where you stand. That gives you the right not to be treated unfairly because of it, and the right to reasonable adjustments: changes your employer must make so that you are not at a disadvantage. The Act has its own definition of disability, which you can read on GOV.UK (opens another website in a new tab).
You do not need a diagnosis for this. Acas says that a worker does not need a diagnosis to be considered disabled under the Equality Act 2010, and that an employer should offer support whether or not someone has a diagnosis, including reasonable adjustments. See Acas: adjustments for neurodiversity (opens another website in a new tab).
Examples of adjustments
Acas gives examples such as:
- Printing out a daily plan to help with timekeeping and focus.
- Using noise-reducing earplugs in a loud place.
- Agreeing with your manager to block out time each week when no meetings can be booked.
- Having your team support you with tasks that wear you out, once you have chosen to tell them.
Other people find things like written follow-ups after spoken instructions, a quieter desk, or flexible start times useful. Which of these suits you is a personal thing.
Access to Work
Access to Work is a government scheme that can help you get or stay in work if you have a physical or mental health condition or disability. According to GOV.UK:
- It can pay for practical support, such as specialist equipment, support workers, and travel costs if you cannot use public transport. It also offers mental health support at work.
- A grant does not have to be paid back.
- It does not pay for reasonable adjustments. Those are changes your employer must make themselves.
Check the official page to see whether you are eligible and how to apply: GOV.UK: Access to Work (opens another website in a new tab), and how to apply (opens another website in a new tab). It can take a while to be processed, so it is worth starting early.
Telling your employer
Whether, when and how to tell people at work is up to you. Acas has guidance on adjustments for neurodiversity (opens another website in a new tab), including letter templates for asking for adjustments.
If it is getting too much
If work is affecting your mental health, a GP can help, and there is also a page with people to talk to.
Sources and further reading
- Acas: neurodiversity at work (opens another website in a new tab)
- Acas: adjustments for neurodiversity (opens another website in a new tab)
- GOV.UK: Access to Work (opens another website in a new tab)
- GOV.UK: definition of disability under the Equality Act 2010 (opens another website in a new tab)
- Citizens Advice: discrimination at work (opens another website in a new tab)