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Diabetes

Living and working with type 1 or type 2 diabetes in the UK, including workplace rights and everyday practicalities.

Sample content. This prototype article summarises official UK sources listed at the end of the page. It is information, not legal or medical advice, and what you are entitled to depends on your circumstances.

Jurisdiction
UK-wide
Date last checked
30 November 2025
Date last updated
30 November 2025
Next review due
30 May 2026
Article version
1.0
Review status
Review status: Flagged as possibly out of date

Please take care. This page is flagged as possibly out of date. Check the official sources listed at the end before relying on it.

Overview

Diabetes means the level of glucose in your blood is too high. In type 1, the body no longer produces insulin. In type 2, the body does not use insulin well or does not make enough.

Both types are long-term conditions that need daily self-management, and both can be managed well with the right support.

Technology such as continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps is available on the NHS for some people, based on clinical criteria.

Common barriers people describe

  • Workplaces with no private space or break flexibility for testing, injecting or eating.
  • Assumptions that type 2 diabetes is simply the person's fault.
  • Appointment systems that are hard to reach when something changes quickly.
  • Driving rules that can feel unclear, particularly for people on insulin.

Practical support

  • Structured education courses such as DAFNE and DESMOND are offered free on the NHS in many areas.
  • Annual reviews should include eye screening, foot checks and blood tests.
  • Prescriptions for diabetes treated with medication are free in England with a medical exemption certificate; prescriptions are free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
  • Diabetes UK runs a helpline and local groups.

Your rights

  • Diabetes can meet the Equality Act 2010 definition of disability. Treatment is ignored when deciding this, so being well controlled on medication does not remove protection.
  • Employers must make reasonable adjustments, such as break flexibility and somewhere private to manage the condition.
  • You must tell DVLA about insulin-treated diabetes and follow the rules on blood glucose testing before and during driving.
  • Schools in England must support pupils with medical conditions and have a policy for doing so.

Possible benefits and financial support

These are things you may want to check. Nothing here is a decision, and entitlement always depends on your circumstances.

  • PIP or Adult Disability Payment may apply where there are significant daily living or mobility needs, for example complications affecting sight or feet.
  • Free prescriptions via a medical exemption certificate in England.
  • Free NHS eye screening for diabetic retinopathy.
  • Access to Work support may be relevant where complications affect your work.

Workplace adjustments to consider

  • Regular, predictable breaks to eat, test or take medication.
  • A private space and safe storage, including a fridge for insulin.
  • Adjusting shift patterns where overnight or rotating shifts destabilise control.
  • Time off for appointments treated separately from ordinary sickness absence.

Education adjustments to consider

  • Individual healthcare plans should set out what support the pupil needs during the school day and on trips.
  • Pupils should be allowed to test, eat and treat hypos wherever they are, including during exams.
  • Awarding bodies may allow extra time or a supervised rest break for a hypo.

Getting healthcare that works for you

  • Ask about continuous glucose monitoring if you meet the criteria and it would help you.
  • Ask for interpreters or accessible information if you need them for appointments and education courses.
  • Ask what to do when you are ill, and keep written sick-day rules to hand.

Urgent help

Get urgent help for severe hypoglycaemia, or for signs of diabetic ketoacidosis such as vomiting, deep rapid breathing, abdominal pain or a fruity smell on the breath. Call 999 if someone is unresponsive.

Related rights topics

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from the sources below. Follow the links for the full, official version.

Update history

  • Version 1.0 — 30 November 2025

    First published sample article. Flagged as outdated: source pages have changed since the last check and prescription charge details need re-verifying.

    Approved by: Editorial reviewer (sample)

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