Research: Reasonable adjustments: research into delays in decisions

A research report by the Policy Insights Unit on delays in decisions by employers to requests for reasonable adjustments.

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This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

The Disability Unit commissioned the Policy Insights Unit to review how effectively disabled employees access reasonable adjustments, with a specific focus on delays in the process and their impact.

This research analysed the main barriers and delays in the reasonable adjustment process from both employee and employer perspectives. It combines expert interviews, literature reviews, a sample of Employment Tribunal judgments, and a survey of Acas conciliators.

Under the Equality Act 2010, employers cannot ignore their responsibilities by avoiding, or delaying, making decisions about reasonable adjustment requests. The law is clear that employers must handle these requests within a reasonable timeframe.

Rather than employers acting in bad faith, the research shows that delays are usually caused by:

This report was considered by the Work and Pensions Select Committee as part of the government’s response to the committee’s May 2026 report, Employment support for disabled people: Disability at Work.