Interview adjustments and Access to Work

Reasonable adjustments

Interview adjustments and Access to Work

Our goal

Our goal is to help you perform at your best throughout every stage of the employee journey.

Adjustments in the recruitment process

As part of the recruitment process, we support disabled candidates and employees by providing reasonable adjustments.

Adjustments help remove barriers and ensure fair access to recruitment and employment. The Equality Act 2010 requires employers to consider reasonable adjustments.

What are reasonable adjustments

  • Changes that help a disabled person carry out a role effectively.
  • May involve physical access, equipment, communication, or changes to working patterns.
  • What is “reasonable” varies by individual need and the role.

Examples of adjustments

  • Step‑free access or accessible interview rooms.
  • Space for assistance dogs.
  • Visual or vibrating fire‑alarm systems.
  • Amplified telephones or assistive hearing equipment.
  • Screen readers and other accessible software.
  • Buddy systems in operational environments.
  • Access to Work support for funded adjustments.

Easy Read guide to Access to Work support from the Government (PDF).

Adjustments for neurodivergent or non‑physical needs

  • Interview questions provided in advance.
  • Meeting notes shared after discussions.
  • Clearer or alternative communication methods from managers.

Why adjustments matter

  • Small changes can significantly improve comfort, confidence, and performance.
  • Adjustments support inclusion, retention, and wellbeing.
  • Needs may change over time, and ongoing conversations help ensure the right support is in place.

Requesting adjustments during recruitment

  • Candidates can request adjustments during the application or interview stage.
  • Early disclosure helps Sense put the right support in place.

If you’d like to discuss your adjustments during the recruitment process, please get in touch with the Talent Acquisition team on: recruitment@sense.org.uk or 0121 393 4529.

Disability Confident Leader

As a Disability Confident Leader, we are proud to be at the forefront of driving inclusive recruitment and workplace practices. We continue to take a proactive approach to employing disabled people.

This includes guaranteeing an interview to disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for our roles and ensuring an inclusive, accessible recruitment process.

Our commitment goes beyond recruitment — we’re focused on retaining and developing our people, fostering an inclusive environment where everyone, regardless of disability, can contribute fully, grow professionally, and be themselves at work.

Access to Work

At Sense we have a diverse team of people, passionate about making a difference to people’s lives. Our employee networks are led by our people and ensure we can all feel connected, celebrate our differences, and have a voice in decisions.

Access to Work is a government scheme that can help pay for specialist equipment, support workers or travel costs in interviews or in your job. 

Job interview support

You can apply to Access to Work to get money for communication support at a job interview. The money pays for a communication support worker to go to your job interview with you. You can use this service if you: 

  • are Deaf or hard of hearing and need a British Sign Language interpreter or lipspeaker 
  • have a physical or mental health condition or learning difficulty and need communication support 

You need to apply before the interview takes place and tell us the total cost of the communication support you’ll need. For help with finding communication support and getting costs, you can contact your employment adviser or an organisation that specialises in supporting people with your needs. AtW pay the costs after the job interview has taken place. The money does not have to be paid back and will not affect your other benefits. 

Apply online for interview communication support 

You may need some information from the Talent Acquisition Team at Sense to complete your forms for interview, so get in touch on Recruitment@sense.org.uk or 0121 393 4529. 

What other support can be covered by Access to Work 

  • doing things another way, such as allowing someone with social anxiety disorder to have their own desk instead of hot-desking 
  • making physical changes to the workplace, like installing a ramp for a wheelchair user or an audio-visual fire alarm for a deaf person 
  • letting a disabled person work somewhere else, such as on the ground floor for a wheelchair user 
  • changing their equipment, for instance providing a special keyboard if they have arthritis 
  • allowing employees who become disabled to make a phased return to work, including flexible hours or part-time working 
  • offering employees training opportunities, recreation and refreshment facilities 

How to apply 

You can apply online here or contact the Access to Work helpline: 

Telephone: 0800 121 7479 

Textphone: 0800 121 7579 

Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm 

If you are deaf and use British Sign Language you may be able to use the Video Relay Service (known as VRS). 

If you’re in Northern Ireland, find out about employment for people with disabilities or contact Access to Work (NI).