Why you might need a disability passport at work

Asking for support at work can be exhausting when you have to explain your disability or health condition again and again. A disability passport can help make that easier.

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A disability passport is a document that records the support you need at work. You might also hear it called a reasonable adjustment passport. It is not a test, a medical certificate, or a proof of disability. It is simply a practical way to write down what helps you do your job well and safely.

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In the UK, employers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled workers where needed. A disability passport is an informal document that creates a record of what adjustments you have agreed with your employer. You can share this document with your manager or team members at work, and if your adjustments need to be reviewed due to a change in your needs, it's easy to verify what was originally agreed.

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This can simplify conversations about adjustments when it comes to changing teams or roles at the same workplace, being assigned a new manager, or being promoted and reporting to someone new.

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How is this different to the Health Adjustment Passport?

The Health Adjustment Passport is a document created by the Department for Work and Pensions, which is mainly designed to communicate your needs to prospective employers during the job application process, as well as to help you apply for Access to Work support.

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You could potentially use your Health Adjustment Passport as a disability passport within your workplace, if there is no formal scheme in place. While they are subtly different, the main aim is the same: to make conversations about support clearer and less stressful.

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How can I get a disability passport?

To get a disability passport, start by asking your manager, HR/People team, occupational health team or union rep whether your workplace has a reasonable adjustments passport, workplace adjustment passport or disability passport template.

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Not every employer offers a formal passport scheme, but that does not mean you cannot have one: the important thing is that your employer still has a duty to consider and make reasonable adjustments where these are needed.

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If there is a formal disability passport available at your workplace, a typical process might involve:

1. Organise a meeting with your manager or HR to request adjustments to your working environment
2. Request a meeting with occupational health
3. Record the agreed adjustments in your organisation's disability passport template
4. Agree with your employer a date to review the adjustments, and agree who the passport can be shared with.

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What should be included in a disability passport?

A good disability passport should focus on what you need, not necessarily on details about your diagnosis. It might include:

• Your name, role, team and manager.
• How your disability, health condition or impairment affects you at work.
• The adjustments that have already been agreed.
• Equipment, software, flexible working or changes to duties that help you.
• Any communication preferences, such as written instructions, extra processing time or regular check-ins.
• Things that may make your condition worse, such as noise, fatigue, pain, travel or workload.
• What to do if you become unwell at work.
• Review dates, so the passport can be updated when your needs or job changes.

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Your passport should be treated as confidential and only shared with people who need to know. Most importantly, it should be a living document. Your needs may change, and your passport can change with you. Done well, it can reduce repeated explanations, support better conversations, and help you feel more confident asking for what you need at work.

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About the National Disability & Carers Card Scheme‍

The National Disability & Carers Card scheme was set up in 2019 by carers to make everyday life and access easier for people with disabilities and those who care for them. The scheme supports 250,000 card holders and provides easy-to-carry visual identification that helps users avoid repeatedly explaining their disability or caring role. The National Disability Card is accepted as proof of disability at 600+ venues across the UK and abroad. If you're looking for ways to communicate your access needs outside of work - including at venues, in shops and at events - consider applying for your card today.