dyslexiaDyslexia at work in the UK
The law is on your side. The Equality Act 2010 requires employers to make reasonable adjustments for dyslexia — and Access to Work can fund equipment and support at no cost to your employer. This page covers everything you need to know.
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Your rights under UK law
Dyslexia is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010. Your employer has a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments to remove or reduce disadvantages that dyslexia causes in your role. This applies whether you are diagnosed or not — what matters is the effect, not the label.
Reasonable adjustments can include text-to-speech software, a note-taker for meetings, extra time for written tasks, written instructions instead of verbal ones, or access to a quieter workspace. There is no fixed list — what is reasonable depends on your role, your employer's size, and the cost involved.
If your employer refuses adjustments without justification, that is potential disability discrimination under the Act. Employment tribunals can award compensation with no upper cap in discrimination cases.
Equality Act 2010 — key point
Dyslexia qualifies as a disability if it has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. For most dyslexic employees, this threshold is met. You do not need a formal diagnosis to request adjustments.
Access to Work
Access to Work is a UK government grant that funds specialist equipment, software, and support for disabled employees — including those with dyslexia. It pays directly to your employer or supplier, so it costs your employer nothing.
The 2024–25 annual cap is £66,900 per person. Typical awards for dyslexia cover text-to-speech software, a workplace needs assessment, coaching, and sometimes a support worker for meetings. You apply directly to the DWP — your employer does not need to initiate it.
Use the calculator below to see what you could claim.
Tools for UK employees
Find out which equipment and support you could claim, and roughly how much your award could be worth.
Calculate your entitlement → Reasonable adjustments builderTurn your specific challenges into a conversation plan and a draft email to your manager or HR. UK legal language pre-selected.
Build your request → Disclosure decision guideShould you disclose? When? To whom? An interactive guide covering 10+ UK workplace situations.
Start the guide → Masking cost calculatorCalculate how much your workarounds cost in time and money each year — the business case for adjustments.
Calculate in £ →UK guides and legal updates
If your employer refuses adjustments
Start by making your request in writing — our adjustments builder generates a professional email. If your employer refuses without adequate justification, you have several options.
Raise a formal grievance under your employer's procedure. Contact ACAS for free early conciliation — this is required before an employment tribunal claim and often resolves disputes without going further. If conciliation fails, you can bring a disability discrimination claim to an employment tribunal within three months of the discriminatory act.
Compensation in discrimination cases has no upper cap. The M&S case above resulted in an award of £53,855 — but many cases settle before tribunal.