Guide

For employees: working with ADHD and other neurodivergent traits

A guide to disclosure, asking for adjustments and your rights at work. It is for anyone who is neurodivergent, or thinks they might be.

Seven short chapters. Go to the one that made you open this page. Each one stands alone and tells you how long it takes to read.

Chapter 01~2 min read

Start here

After this chapter you will know what this guide covers and how to use it.

This guide is for anyone who is neurodivergent, or thinks they might be. It is for people who want to work well without pretending to be someone else. It covers disclosure, which means telling your employer, and the choice not to. It covers asking for what helps. It covers working with a manager who does not understand yet. It covers your legal position if things go wrong.

It is written by people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We also have a guide for individuals: ADHD, by people with ADHD. This one is about you as an employee and your relationship with your employer. It covers what you have a right to, what you can ask for and how to ask well.

Two things before you start. First, disclosure is your decision alone. This guide never assumes you should do it. Chapter 02 explains the decision, including the option not to disclose at all. Second, this is general information, not legal advice. Do you have a specific dispute? Chapter 06 shows where to get real help.

Use the chapters in any order.

Chapter 02~4 min read · disclosure

Do I have to tell my employer?

After this chapter you will know your legal position on disclosure. You will know what you gain and lose each way.

The short answer: no. You never have to tell your employer that you are disabled or neurodivergent. But your employer's legal duty to make reasonable adjustments only starts once they know. It also starts if they could reasonably be expected to know. So the real question is not "should I disclose?" It is "do I want the legal protection enough to accept the risk of telling them?"

What it feels like

Many people think about this all the time. Will it change how they see me? Will they blame every future mistake on it? Will it quietly limit the jobs they offer me next? And under that, many people have a deeper fear. They fear that once they say it, people will judge them, and they cannot take it back.

Our own research into ADHD at work found this too. It is a real limit, not just a feeling. If you use a tool at work that is clearly labelled for ADHD, people may learn about your ADHD before you decide to tell them. Many adults have not told their employer, and they fear unfair treatment because of it. That fear decides which products succeed. The ADHD tools people use most are the ones that do not say they are for ADHD. The same thinking applies to telling people yourself.

What the law says

Nobody has to tell their employer, or a possible future employer, that they are disabled. Once you tell them, the employer has a legal responsibility to support you. The duty is not automatic. It does not cover the time before they knew. It starts from the point when they know. So disclosure is not only a personal or emotional decision. It is what starts your legal protection under the Equality Act 2010. If you say nothing, it protects your feelings. But it also has a real cost. For more on the law, see our guide. It explains what counts as a disability and what "reasonable" means: Reasonable adjustments at work

What helps you decide

  • Treat these as three different steps: "tell my employer officially", "tell my manager informally" and "tell nobody". Each one has different risks. It is not a choice between only two options.
  • You decide how to say it. You can explain the effect on your work without naming the diagnosis. For example, "I work best with written follow-ups after meetings." That gets you most adjustments without ever saying the word ADHD.
  • You do not need a diagnosis to disclose or to ask for adjustments. A formal diagnosis gives evidence for a request. Without one, you can still ask.
  • Not sure if your employer is safe to tell? Look at what they already do. Is there a clear disability or neurodiversity policy? Do senior people talk about it openly? Did it go well when someone else told them? Facts are better than guesses.
  • You can only go one way. You can disclose later, but you cannot take it back. If you are unsure, waiting costs you legal protection, but not much else. If you tell them early, the main cost is that you cannot take it back.
Chapter 03~4 min read · requesting adjustments

How do I actually ask for what helps?

After this chapter you will know how to make a request that gets a clear answer.

The short answer: ask your manager or HR. Do you not want to name your diagnosis? Then describe the effect on your work. Once you agree something, put it in writing. This does not make you difficult. A written record protects you both. A free template does most of the work for you.

What it feels like

The hardest part is often not knowing what would help. It is saying it out loud. You may fear it will become a long conversation you did not want. Or it may feel like you are asking for something extra, not something fair.

What is true

Do you need a reasonable adjustment? Then talk with your manager or employer. If you are applying for a job, talk with the possible employer. Both sides can suggest what might help. But employers are told to follow the lead of the person asking. You likely know best what would work for you. You can ask your manager in a conversation. Or you can use a formal process, if your organisation has one. To learn what "reasonable" means, with examples by role, see Reasonable adjustments at work

What helps

  • Start with the effect on your work, not the diagnosis, if that feels easier. For example, "meetings without an agenda make it hard for me to follow and contribute." This often works better and faster than a label. And you never have to say more than you want to.
  • Use the free written request template from ACAS. You do not have to start from a blank page. It exists so you do not have to find the right words alone. ACAS reasonable adjustment request template → (opens in a new tab)
  • Ask for something specific, not "make it easier". Someone can say yes to "written summaries after meetings". It is hard to say yes to "help me focus".
  • Suggest a trial period. It makes the decision less risky for everyone. If something does not work, you learn from it. It is not a failure.
  • Ask for the result in writing. Do this even if the conversation was informal. An employer should confirm any agreed adjustment in writing. A short email is enough. Then neither of you has to remember later what you agreed.
  • Adjustments are not fixed forever. They can and should change if your needs change. Keep a short record of what you asked for and what you agreed. Then you do not have to start again from zero when you review it.
Chapter 04~4 min read

What if my manager doesn't get it?

After this chapter you will know what to do when a kind reply still misses the point. You will know when to ask again more firmly.

The short answer: some managers want to help but get it wrong. Others do not take you seriously. These are different problems, and they need different responses. Most of the time it is the first kind. They mean well, but they do not know what to do next.

What it feels like

You named what you need. But you get something close, not the real thing. A wellbeing leaflet. A tip to "just use a planner". A too-cheerful "we're all a bit ADHD sometimes!" It is not unkind. It is just wrong. Now you have to decide. Do you correct them, accept it or ask again?

What is true

Most managers have had no training in this. They are guessing, with good intentions. Employers do not have to know already what would help. They are expected to take reasonable steps to understand it. If needed, this includes getting medical advice or an occupational health assessment. You can use this. Send your manager to their own HR resources. This is not giving up. It gives them what they are missing.

What helps

  • Assume they got it wrong by accident before you assume they mean harm. Most poor first replies come from discomfort or lack of experience. They are not a refusal. If you treat it as a refusal too early, you may end a conversation that could still go well.
  • Did you get an unclear spoken reply? Then repeat the request in writing. This does not make it a formal complaint. It makes it clear. It also starts the written record that chapter 06 needs, in case you ever need it.
  • The second time, bring the solution, not just the problem. "Here is exactly what I am asking for, and here is a template" is harder to ignore than "I need more support."
  • Is your manager stuck? If you have an HR team, ask them to help. That is their job. Then one person does not have to know all the answers.
  • If they refuse a request, an employer must still find another reasonable way to help. This applies even if the exact thing you asked for is not possible. "No" to one request should not mean "no" to everything.

Does your manager want to get this right, but not know how? Our guide for managers is written for that person. Send it to them.

Chapter 05~4 min read · Access to Work

Can I get help paying for support?

After this chapter you will know what Access to Work pays for, how to apply and how long it takes.

The short answer: Access to Work is a UK government grant. It can pay for practical support to help you do your job. This includes equipment, software, coaching, travel costs and more. You apply for it yourself, not your employer. You do not have to pay it back. It does not replace your employer's own legal duty to make adjustments. It adds to it.

What it's for

It can pay for special equipment or software. It can pay for a support worker or job coach. It can pay for mental health support services. It can pay travel costs if public transport is difficult for you. It is separate from reasonable adjustments. The law says your employer must provide reasonable adjustments either way. Access to Work is extra paid support on top of that.

How it works

  • You apply yourself, online or by phone. Your employer does not apply. But you will need a contact at work who can confirm that you work there.
  • You do not need a formal diagnosis to apply. But a diagnosis can help you explain what you need.
  • A case manager checks your application. If you agree, they may talk to your employer. They may also set up an assessment at your workplace.
  • You do not have to pay the money back. It does not affect other benefits you get. You or your employer may need to pay some costs first and then claim them back.
  • Expect it to take time. It now takes much longer to process. Official figures show the average time reached about 66 days in 2024–25, and it has kept rising since. Apply as early as you can. It is best to apply when a job starts, or even before. You can apply up to 12 weeks before a job begins.

Where to apply: gov.uk/access-to-work → (opens in a new tab) or by phone on 0800 121 7479.

Chapter 06~3 min read · legal position

What are my rights if things go wrong?

After this chapter you will know the legal basics and where to go for real help. This is not legal advice.

The short answer: are you disabled under the Equality Act 2010? Then your employer has a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments. Many ADHD, autistic and other neurodivergent people count as disabled. This is when the condition has a substantial, long-term effect on daily life. If your employer does not make them, you can take real steps. Each step is more formal than the last. First comes a grievance inside your workplace. Then comes mediation. The last step is an employment tribunal.

What is true

Many disabled people never need more than an informal conversation. Most adjustment requests are solved that way. But you do have options if a request is ignored or refused without good reason. You also have options if you are treated worse because you asked. You do not need to be an expert in employment law to use them. For the full legal detail, see our guide. It explains what "substantial and long-term" means, with examples: Reasonable adjustments at work

The usual order of steps

  • Put it in writing, even if you have already asked informally. Write down what you asked for, when and what reply you got. Every step after this depends on that record.
  • Raise a grievance. This is a formal complaint inside your workplace. Sometimes the chance of a grievance is enough to make an employer follow their own policies properly.
  • Try mediation. A mediator is a trained person who does not take sides. They can help both sides find a solution without a fight. It is worth trying before anything more formal.
  • Get advice before a tribunal. A tribunal can lead to compensation, or to an order for the adjustment itself. But a tribunal is the last step, and it is very stressful. Good evidence matters a lot. This is your written record from step 1.

Where to get real help, not just information

This chapter is general information, not legal advice. For help with your own situation, the groups above give free advice made for this.

Chapter 07~1 min read

Sources and about this guide

Who wrote this, what it is based on and when we last checked it.

The team at Humble wrote this guide. Our team includes people with ADHD. It uses our own research on work and the official sources below. We checked them on 10 July 2026.

Last reviewed: 10 July 2026. We review this guide again every six months. We review it sooner if Access to Work processing times or rules change in a big way.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. For help with your own situation, chapter 06 shows where to get free, real help.

Is something wrong or missing? Email us. We read every email.

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Reasonable adjustments
What the law says, what adjustments look like and how Access to Work pays for them.
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