Last reviewed: 22 June 2022
- Don’t ask candidates to request adjustments. Tell every candidate what the process will involve and ask them if they want to discuss any changes to make the interview process.
- Give yourselves and the applicant plenty of time to decide what adjustments you will make and to put them in place.
- The adjustments a disabled candidate needs will be unique to them, their disability, the role and your organisation.
- Candidates can get financial support with adjustments from Access to Work. Make sure candidates are aware of this and support them to apply for any support they need.
Before the interview
Throughout the recruitment process, you should ask applicants and candidates regularly if they need any adjustments or changes to the way things are done. This includes at the interview stage.
When inviting candidates to interview, outline where the interview will be and what it will involve. Invite them to ask for adjustments and ensure you have given yourselves enough time to implement the adjustments you need to make.
Make sure candidates know:
- Where it will be held – including how to arrive at the building and find the interview room once they arrive.
- How long it is expected to last
- If they will be asked to do any tasks at the interview
- What sort of questions they will be asked
- Any accessibility concerns at the venue – for example, is there a ramp for wheelchairs? Do they have to go through a noisy reception when they arrive?
Asking candidates about adjustments
Don’t ask “Do you consider yourself to have a disability?” when inviting candidates to interview – that is unlawful.
Instead, say something like “Let us know if you need us to make any adjustments or changes to the interview process to help you best demonstrate your suitability for the role. If you wish to discuss any concerns about the interview process, please contact…” For more information about what you can and can’t ask, see our resource ‘Can I ask candidates questions about disability?’.
You should also record any information about adjustments at interview separately from the rest of their application, so that it cannot influence any decision about their application.
Common examples of adjustments at interview
What adjustments you need to put in place will depend on the role, the capabilities you are assessing, and the individual being interviewed.
Some common adjustments at interview are:
- Providing sign language interpreters – allow at least three weeks to arrange a signer. Ask the candidate if they would prefer to arrange this themselves or if they would prefer you to arrange it. Make it clear that you will bear the costs of this either way.
- Allowing a support worker to accompany the candidate.
- Offer the candidate the option of being interviewed by a single interviewer instead of a panel. This could be helpful for candidates whose disability is exacerbated under pressure, for example someone with a condition that affects their speech.
- Providing any materials in an alternative format.
- Preparing any necessary technology, such as hearing loops for candidates that use hearing aids.
- Weighting their performance at interview differently. You may need to do this if you were unable to make an adjustment at interview due to time constraints.
- Allowing extra time for the candidate to answer questions, for example if they have a learning difficulty or a condition that affects their speech.
- Consider alternatives to a traditional interview. For example, you could offer the candidate a remote interview online or over the phone if they would prefer not to be interviewed in person. You could also consider alternatives to interview, such as job trials.
In person interviews
If the interview is being held in person, you need to ensure the physical accessibility of the location where the interview is being held. You may need to make adjustments to make it accessible for the candidate, such as:
- Hosting the interview in a location that avoids stairs, such as on the ground floor or near an accessible lift
- Hosting the interview in a location that minimises the amount of walking required, such as a room near the entrance
- Changing the lighting in the locations where the candidate will be, for example brighter lights for a candidate with sight loss or dimmer lighting for a candidate with sensory sensitivity.
See our ‘Premises accessibility checklist’ for more information about ensuring the accessibility of your premises.
Our resource ‘Hosting inclusive interviews’ has more information about ensuring your interviews are held in an inclusive way.
Contact our Advice Service for tailored advice.
Remote interviews
If the interview is being held remotely, make sure that the platform you are using is accessible.
Some potential adjustments include:
- Providing an interpreter at interview
- Allowing a candidate to have extra time to answer questions
- Providing assistive technology, such as adapted computer equipment or speech-to-test software
- Using a different platform for the interview, for example if one is more accessible to the candidate than the one you planned to use
- Conducting the interview in a different format – for example, having one interviewer instead of a panel of interviewers
- Conducting the interview in person if a remote interview would be too inaccessible.
For more information about platforms for remote interviews, see our resource ‘A user’s guide to video conferencing apps’.
These are just examples, and what is necessary and possible will depend on the candidate, the role and the organisation. Contact our Advice Service for tailored guidance.
Access to Work
The UK Government’s Access to Work scheme provides financial support for disabled candidates to have communication support at interview. Access to Work can provide communication support to candidates who:
- are D/deaf and need a sign language interpreter or lipspeaker
- have a physical or mental health condition, or learning disability, and need communication support.
Under this scheme, disabled candidates must make the application, but then the money released under the scheme will go to the employer.
Let candidates know that this scheme exists and offer to provide them with support with their application.
Communicating with candidates about adjustments
Invite candidates to get in touch abut adjustments, and also provide contact information for someone they can talk to about any concerns they have.
If a candidate gets in touch to ask for adjustments, let them know how long it will take you to decide if this is possible. Let them know as soon as you have decided whether it will be possible.
If you decline to make an adjustment, resend them the contact information for the person they can talk to about any concerns they have about the interview process. Suggest some alternative adjustments that you are able to make instead.
For advice about asking candidates about adjustments, see our resource ‘Asking about adjustments – Language.’
The law
Employers have a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments at interview for disabled candidates.
This duty applies if you know a candidate has a disability, or if you could reasonably be expected to know that they are disabled. For example, if they have asked for adjustments to earlier parts of the recruitment process, make sure that you have also proactively asked them if they need adjustments at interview.
What is reasonable?
What is reasonable will depend on the organisation, the individual and the role that they are interviewing for. For advice about deciding whether an adjustment is reasonable, see our resource ‘What is ‘reasonable’ in recruitment?’
Contact our Advice Service for tailored advice.
Asking for candidates about adjustments
There are legal considerations when asking candidates for information about disability and adjustments at interview.
When asking if a candidate needs adjustments, don’t ask:
- “Do you consider yourself to have a disability?”
That is unlawful under the Equality Act 2010.
Instead, say something like:
- “Let us know if you need us to make any adjustments or changes to the interview process to help you best demonstrate your suitability for the role. If you wish to discuss any concerns about the interview process, please contact…”
For more information about what you can and can’t ask, see our resource ‘Can I ask candidates questions about disability?’.
Information about health and disability is legally sensitive, so make sure to store it securely and confidentially in line with data protection requirements. You should also record any information about adjustments at interview separately from the rest of their application, so that it cannot influence any decision about their application.
Further information
Contact our Advice Service for tailored advice about a specific situation or policy.
Employers can get financial support with adjustments at interview through the UK Government’s Access to Work scheme.
Read next
- Asking about adjustments – Language
- Can I ask candidates questions about disability?
- Hosting inclusive interviews
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