Dyslexia in the Workplace: Your Rights Under the Equality Act 2010

If you have dyslexia, you have legal protection at work. Under the Equality Act 2010, dyslexia is recognised as a disability, which means your employer has a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments to ensure you’re not substantially disadvantaged compared to colleagues without a learning difficulty. That’s a meaningful protection — but a lot of dyslexic employees never use it, often because they don’t know what’s available or feel uncomfortable disclosing.

What counts as a “reasonable adjustment”?

Reasonable adjustments are practical changes that remove or reduce a workplace disadvantage. The specific adjustments depend on your role, your individual cognitive profile, and what your employer can practically provide. Common examples include:

• Providing key information in accessible formats (printed materials, written summaries of verbal briefings)
• Allowing extra time for written tasks, training or assessments
• Speech-to-text or text-to-speech software
• Mind-mapping software for planning and organisation
• Quieter workspace or noise-cancelling headphones
• Adjusted lighting or screen settings
• Coloured overlays or different font choices
• Coaching or specialist mentoring
• Flexible deadlines where possible
• Written follow-up after verbal meetings

None of these are unusual or expensive. Most employers, once they understand what’s needed, find adjustments easy to put in place.

What “reasonable” means

The legal test is whether an adjustment is reasonable for the employer to make. Factors include cost, practicality, the employer’s size and resources, and whether the adjustment would actually help. Smaller employers aren’t expected to make the same level of investment as a multinational, but they still have a legal duty to consider adjustments seriously.

Access to Work

Access to Work is a government scheme that funds workplace support for people with a disability or health condition, including dyslexia. It can pay for:

• Specialist equipment and software
• One-to-one workplace coaching
• Support workers
• Travel costs where standard transport isn’t accessible
• Communication support

Access to Work works alongside reasonable adjustments — it doesn’t replace them. The scheme is administered through GOV.UK and applications can be made directly by the employee.

Why a formal assessment matters

To access these protections fully, you need formal evidence of dyslexia. A diagnostic assessment from a qualified specialist provides:

• A clear diagnosis your employer can act on
• A detailed cognitive profile showing exactly where you find tasks difficult
• Specific recommendations for adjustments tailored to your role
• The evidence needed for an Access to Work application
• Protection if your employer questions whether dyslexia genuinely affects your work

Should I disclose at work?

This is a personal decision. The Equality Act protections only apply once your employer knows about your dyslexia, so disclosure is necessary to access them. In practice, most employers respond well — the adjustments are usually small and the productivity benefits are real.

That said, you’re under no obligation to disclose during recruitment, and your dyslexia is your private medical information. Many people choose to disclose only after they’ve been hired and settled in. Some only disclose if they need a specific adjustment.

For employers and HR teams

Supporting dyslexic employees isn’t just a legal obligation; it’s good business. Roughly 10–15% of the population is dyslexic, which means most teams have several dyslexic members. Many of them are high performers who’ve developed exceptional problem-solving, creative and verbal skills precisely because of how their brain works. Small adjustments unlock that performance.

A workplace assessment provides employers with clear, practical recommendations — rather than vague advice — and demonstrates compliance with Equality Act obligations.

The strengths side of the story

Dyslexic thinkers bring valuable skills: creative problem-solving, big-picture thinking, strong verbal communication, the ability to make unexpected connections. Many entrepreneurs, designers, scientists and senior leaders are dyslexic. Understanding your cognitive profile through a formal assessment isn’t just about identifying difficulties — it’s also about understanding how you work best and how to play to your strengths.