Last reviewed: 22 June 2022
- Make sure you only test the skills and knowledge that are essential for the role.
- Identify any potential alternative ways that the role could be done and make sure any tests and assessments can be tailored to let a disabled candidate do things differently.
- Plan ahead for candidates who may need adjustments, and make sure to ask every candidate if they need any.
- If you outsource tests and assessments, work with providers to remove barriers to disabled candidates.
Do I need tests and assessments?
Testing and assessments can be appealing as a way of producing results that allow you to compare the qualities and abilities of each candidate against each other.
However, they can also discriminate against disabled candidates if they are not accessible and designed in an inclusive way. Employers also have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments to tests and assessments for disabled candidates.
What should I test or assess?
If you do ask candidates to complete tests and assessments, ensure that they are being evaluated only on their ability to perform the essential components of the role.
What is essential?
The essential parts of the job should have been identified during the job design process. These are the key duties of the role that the employee will be asked to do. For more information about identifying essential criteria, see the resource ‘Essential and desirable criteria’ in this Toolkit.
It is important that candidates are only assessed on their ability to perform the essential parts of the role. Testing candidates on their ability to do non-essential tasks may be discriminatory against disabled candidates – and not an effective way of selecting the best candidate for the role.
Psychometric testing
Psychometric tests can help determine an individual’s abilities and potential. However, their use can present barriers to some disabled people. Therefore, consider whether it is genuinely an essential part of the recruitment process, or if you could find out what you need to know using other means.
If you do use them, make sure you make any and all adjustments that are reasonable, including waiving the psychometric test for some disabled applicants. See ‘Adjustments to tests and assessments’ for examples of adjustments you can make.
The law places a duty on employers to make reasonable adjustments to tests to ensure that they are fair. Consult the issuer of the test on how flexible it can be and what adjustments can be made for disabled candidates without invalidating the results.
If you are testing people online ensure that the software is accessible.
For tailored advice, contact our Advice Service.
Adjustments to tests and assessments
Employers have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments to tests and assessments for disabled candidates.
When designing tests and assessments, you must consider what adjustments a person may need to do these essential components of the role if they were to get it. These must be considered when designing the test or assessment so that you can know what is and is not possible in terms of adjustments, and so that you have made adequate preparations to make the adjustments that are possible.
For example, if you are testing someone’s ability to read and write, and that person would be able to use spellchecking software or speech-to-text software, then they must also be allowed to use this in the test.
Some examples of adjustments you could make to tests and assessments:
- Changing the format of the tests, for example from written to audio, or from small to large print
- Allow written tests to be done on a computer which is compatible with adaptive software
- Allow for the presence of a support worker
- Weight the total score to take into account processes that the applicant identifies as problematic because of their disability
- Apply a more qualitative and flexible approach to scoring – comparisons with the ‘norm’ may be neither accurate nor useful
- Ensure the venue and workstation is accessible – for example a large monitor screen might be needed for a particular candidate
- Be flexible with time. A candidate may, for example, need to stand or walk around to alleviate back pain or they may write more slowly because of their disability
- Send a practice test to the candidate prior to interview so that the candidate can specify what adjustments are needed. This will also reassure a disabled candidate who fears an inaccessible test.
Other adjustments may be required depending on the candidate and the tests they are being asked to do. For more detailed guidance, see the resource ‘Adjustments to tests and assessments’ in this Toolkit.
For tailored advice about a specific situation, contact our Advice Service.
Adjustments and the law
Employers in the UK and many other countries have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments to tests and assessments for disabled candidates who are substantially disadvantaged by their disability when taking the test or assessment. .
There is no definitive list of what is or is not reasonable – it is for employers to decide what is reasonable. Guidance on what is reasonable is given below but ultimately the reasonable adjustment(s) will depend on the organisation, the role and the candidate.
An adjustment may be reasonable if it removes or reduces a barrier that a candidate faces and does not diminish your ability to test the candidate on the tasks they will actually be required to do in the role. For example, if candidates are asked to do a time-limited exercise, it may be reasonable to allow a disabled candidate to have extra time if, in the role, they can have longer to complete the same task. However, if performing the task in a set period of time is an essential part of the role, then it may not be reasonable to give them extra time.
When considering extra time a good rule of thumb is to ask yourself what is you are testing. For example, are you testing the candidate’s knowledge of a particular subject or are you testing their ability to impart that knowledge to others quickly and accurately? For skills tests do you want to know how fast the person can perform an activity or how accurately or both?
This duty applies when employers know or could reasonably be expected to know that a candidate is disabled. Therefore, you should always consider the possibility that a candidate has a disability that they haven’t told you about and talk to them about adjustments they may need. If you suspect that a candidate may find an assessment or part of an assessment harder, ask them if they need any adjustments. Applicants and candidates should be asked at every stage of the recruitment process if they need any adjustments. Remember that candidates might not use the language of adjustments or even think of themselves as disabled. This does not mean you do not need to make adjustments for them if they are substantially disadvantaged by the test or assessment. Asking if there is anything you can do to make the test easier or more enjoyable might be a way of finding out if the candidate has concerns about possible barriers related to a disability.
For tailored advice about what may or may not be reasonable in a specific situation, contact our Advice Service.
Working with third-party providers of tests and assessments
Many organisations work with external or third-party providers of tests and assessments. This can mean you have less control or oversight of what candidates are being tested on. This does not remove your responsibility to ensure that tests and assessments are accessible and do not discriminate against disabled candidates.
Work with third-party providers to ensure that tests and assessments are accessible and that candidates can request and receive adjustments.
This should be considered as part of the contract negotiations with the third party before any agreement to provide tests or assessments is finalised. Employers should ensure their expectations of how a third party should manage disability and meet its, and the employers’, legal obligations, are built into contracts and other agreements.
Build into the contract your expectations of the third party provider on adjustments; including who will meet the cost of adjustments where applicable and timeframes. For example, if a candidate needs a sign language interpreter or materials in Braille will the third-party provider be expected to meet both the cost and have a service level agreement standard on how quickly they make the provision?
Employers should also monitor regularly how third parties are performing. Ask for information about how often adjustments are being requested, and how often they are being provided. If possible, visit the premises where the tests and assessments are being done to ensure it is accessible.
Raise any concerns as soon as possible and work with the third party to ensure any required changes are carried out swiftly. If necessary, suspend testing until you can be certain that any concerns have been resolved. Remember, even though you are not providing the assessments directly, you still have legal duties to avoid discrimination and unfavourable treatment of disabled candidates by third parties who are acting on your behalf or as your agents.
You could ask external providers of recruitment services to commit to the standards in our ‘’ to ensure they follow good practice.
This Toolkit has more advice about working with third-party providers of recruitment services in ‘Section 5 – Outsourcing recruitment services’.
Read next
© This resource and the information therein are subject to copyright and remain the property of the Business Disability Forum. It is for reference only and must not be copied or distributed without prior permission.
If you require this resource in a different format, contact enquiries@businessdisabilityforum.org.uk.