Understanding the law, disability and reasonable adjustments

Rising Stakes in Disability Compliance

Employers in the UK operate under the Equality Act 2010's longstanding duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled workers, a requirement triggered when an employer knows—or should know—of a disability that creates substantial disadvantage. Recent data shows this obligation is under unprecedented strain.

Acas early conciliation notifications for disability discrimination rose more than 40% from 2023-24 to 2024-25, reaching over 20,000 cases, while tribunal statistics reveal disability claims comprising 33% of single claims in mid-2025, up 80% from the prior year. This surge ties to greater recognition of non-visible impairments, including mental health, autism, ADHD, and post-viral effects.

Consequences hit hard: average tribunal awards for disability discrimination stand around £45,435, outstripping most other discrimination types, with open caseloads ballooning 262% in some categories. Employers face not only compensation but also costs from prolonged disputes amid systemic tribunal delays.

Case law adds nuance—tribunals have upheld that adjustments need not be made if they cannot realistically remove disadvantage, and redeployment is not required into roles lacking essential qualifications. Yet the duty remains anticipatory for service providers and proactive for employers.

Broader shifts loom: government plans for an Equality (Race and Disability) Bill could mandate disability pay gap reporting for firms with 250+ employees, mirroring gender rules, alongside enhanced equal pay protections. Political calls to repeal the Act introduce counter-risks, but the reasonable adjustments framework endures as a core safeguard.

The pattern points to a workplace where ignoring disability barriers grows costlier and more visible, driven by employee awareness, judicial trends, and impending transparency requirements.