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What support can I get at work as an autistic person?

You have rights as an autistic person to support at work. Your employer has a duty to make reasonable adjustments for you, and you may also be entitled to a grant from the Government to pay for additional practical support. This page has information on reasonable adjustments and Access to Work.

Legal protections for autistic people at work

UK equality law protects everyone against discrimination in the workplace and at all stages of employment, including recruitment. Employers must treat everyone with dignity and respect, but for employees who meet the legal definition of disability (including autistic people), employers also have a duty to make reasonable adjustments. 

For information about the legal definition of disability visit the section ‘Autism, disability and UK equality law’ on our page What are reasonable adjustments and when can they be requested?

 

Reasonable adjustments

At work, reasonable adjustments are changes to the way your employer normally does things and changes to the way you work, so that you are not at a substantial disadvantage compared to people who do not meet the legal definition of disability. 

For detailed information about reasonable adjustments and autistic people’s legal right to them, visit our page What are reasonable adjustments and when can they be requested?

Disclosing autism and reasonable adjustments 

Employers only have a legal duty to provide reasonable adjustments if they know (or could reasonably be expected to know) that someone meets the legal definition of disability. If you do not disclose that you are autistic, your employer may not know that you are disabled and therefore entitled to reasonable adjustments. 

If you would prefer not to disclose that you are autistic, some managers and employers may be happy to make adjustments for you simply because you have asked and believe they would help you. 

For more information about disclosing autism at work, visit our page Deciding whether to tell employers you are autistic.

 

Reasonable adjustments you can request at work

Below are adjustments suggested by autistic people, researchers and professionals. Remember that every autistic person is different and while some may benefit from a suggested adjustment, others may find the same adjustment unnecessary or even unhelpful. 

It’s important to think about your specific needs, the issue/s you are facing at work and how adjustments would help you to manage or overcome them.

Communication and social situations 

  • colleagues using clear and precise language and giving clear instructions – for example, avoiding irony and sarcasm 
  • discussing and agreeing ways of communication with your colleagues 
  • using individual communication preferences, i.e. if you prefer to be contacted by email, phone, text or via a messaging app like Teams or Slack
  • using speech-to-text and/or text-to-speech applications
  • being given written step-by-step instructions
  • visual supports given alongside written instructions
  • large amounts of information being given in smaller chunks
  • verbal (spoken) instructions being followed up with a written summary
  • getting feedback in writing
  • clear guidance about workplace rules, e.g. access to a written list of rules
  • colleagues agreeing and recording expectations with you
  • social events being made inclusive and optional
  • knowing who to go to for specific queries/tasks etc. 

Environment 

  • consider the position of your workstation and the lighting
  • being allocated a fixed workspace (rather than ‘hot-desking’) to increase predictability
  • visual partitioning of workspaces, rather than completely open plan working
  • avoid positioning workstation in a busy area
  • use of noise-cancelling headphones or noise-blocking earbuds
  • use of sunglasses or other tinted glasses to reduce sensory input from lighting, visual stress and/or eye strain
  • use of sensory tools like fidget toys or a weighted blanket
  • provision of ergonomic keyboards, mouse or trackpad
  • asking colleagues to avoid strong smelling perfumes or deodorants
  • colleagues accepting stimming behaviours
  • Avoid being close to strong smelling locations like lunchrooms, noisy machinery like printers, or places where others meet
  • use of a meeting or conference room if a quiet space is needed
  • clear signage and labelling. 

Flexibility and predictability 

  • a phased start to working when beginning a new role
  • flexible working hours
  • option to take lunch at a different time to others
  • option to work from home
  • shorter, more frequent breaks
  • having opportunities to move while working, e.g. walking meetings
  • having predictable and consistent work duties
  • scheduling daily check-ins to discuss the plan and/or aims for the day
  • agreed periods of notice regarding changes to a schedule, calendar or workload. 

Workload and task management 

  • the use of time management and prioritisation applications
  • the use of time structuring tools, e.g. online calendars, reminds, alerts, etc
  • the use of task progress monitoring applications e.g. Microsoft Planner, Trello
  • additional supervision from a manager, job coach or mentor
  • stress management strategies
  • regular informal feedback and appraisal
  • reassurance and encouragement.

 

Insight from autistic people 

Visit our page What are reasonable adjustments and when can they be requested? to find insight from autistic people about reasonable adjustments.

Resource: Common examples of reasonable adjustments

A reference table of common examples of adjustments, with an example scenario of when the adjustment may be needed and why it may be reasonable.

Download

Access to Work government grant scheme

Access to Work is a government-funded grant scheme that supports people who meet the legal definition of disability (including autistic people) to start or stay in work. The scheme provides practical and financial support to people who need support and adaptations beyond reasonable adjustments. 

The support you can get will depend on your needs. Through Access to Work, you can apply for:

  • a grant to help pay for practical support with your work 
  • support with managing your mental health at work
  • money to pay for communication support at job interviews.

Access to Work will not pay for reasonable adjustments that your employer has a duty to make. The scheme provides grants when you need something beyond what your employer can reasonably provide.

Your employer must consider available funding, such as an Access to Work grant before deciding an adjustment is not reasonable based on cost. Access to Work will tell your employer if changes they have requested funding for must be paid for by the employer as a reasonable adjustment instead.
 

What can Access to Work pay for?

Examples of practical support that Access to Work can provide a grant to pay for include:

  • a support worker, job coach or travel companion
  • the cost of travelling to work if you cannot use public transport
  • Special equipment or alterations to existing equipment, for example:
    • screen reading or text-to-speech software
    • planning and time management software
    • noise-cancelling headphones
  • advice and support for employers and colleagues, including autism awareness training and/or reasonable adjustments advisory services
  • work-related mental health support.


Eligibility 

To be eligible for Access to Work, you must:

  • have a physical or mental health condition or disability (including being autistic) that means you need support to do your job or get to and from work 
  • be 16 or over
  • be in paid work (or be about to start or return to paid work in the next 12 weeks) 
    This can be either full or part time work and includes: 
    • employment
    • self-employment
    • an apprenticeship
    • a work trial or work experience
    • an internship
    • a work placement 
  • live and work in England, Scotland or Wales – Access to Work is slightly different in Northern Ireland, more information on the NI Direct Access to Work page.

Many people who may be eligible for support may not know this, because awareness of the Access to Work scheme is poor. The Buckland Report states that only 1 in 5 disabled people in the UK say that they currently or have previously received support from Access to Work. Some people find the application process difficult and unfortunately there are often delays in grants being awarded, sometimes of several months.

Insight from autistic people

"Access to Work have supplied funding for me to have a support worker ... I now have an excellent support worker who is able to do the things that I find most challenging, like chasing up busy admin staff who haven’t given me an answer to a problem, taking notes in meetings and proofreading my work... If you’re Autistic, or Disabled in another way, and struggling at work I would really recommend Access to Work to you." 

– Aimee, a health researcher, Employment Autism

"I have a very spiky skills profile... I find travel very difficult. I live a long way from where I work. While I enjoy an adventure, I need to make it out the other side and be realistic. To help me get to work we have arranged taxis via the Access to Work scheme."

– Jamie + Lion, Exploring the limits

Links, resources and article sources

 

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