Disability Information UKPlain-language information, rights and support

Disclosing a disability

Deciding whether, when and how to tell an employer about a disability is a personal choice with legal protections and practical trade-offs.

Guidance, not legal advice. This page summarises official UK sources listed below. What applies to you depends on your circumstances and nation.

Last reviewed
1 August 2026
Next review due
1 February 2027

Before a job offer

Section 60 of the Equality Act 2010 generally stops employers asking health or disability questions before offering you a job, with limited exceptions, such as finding out whether you need adjustments for an assessment or interview, or checking you can perform a role's essential requirements.

Reasons people choose to disclose

  • To ask for reasonable adjustments
  • To access the Disability Confident guaranteed interview scheme
  • To explain a gap in employment or a pattern of absence

Reasons people choose not to, or to delay

  • Concern about stigma or being treated differently
  • The disability does not affect the role
  • Wanting to build trust with a manager first

Checklist

  • You can disclose at any stage: application, interview, after a job offer, or once in post
  • You do not have to disclose a condition that does not need adjustments
  • If you want the guaranteed interview scheme, check the employer's stated criteria

Where to get help