Disability discrimination at work: Understand your rights and take action
If you’ve been treated unfairly at work because of a disability, whether it’s a mental health condition, long-term illness, or physical impairment, it can feel isolating, frustrating, and deeply unfair.
Maybe your employer refused reasonable adjustments, overlooked you for opportunities, or ignored how your condition affects your day-to-day work.
Under the Equality Act 2010, this kind of treatment may be illegal. At Valla, we help you understand whether what you’ve experienced qualifies as disability discrimination, and what steps you can take. From documenting issues and raising a grievance, to building a strong Tribunal claim, we’re here to support you every step of the way.
Ask a UK legal expert about disability discrimination
Find out where you stand with the disability discrimination issues you're dealing with at work. Talk to a UK legal expert to understand if your issue has potential legal claims, so you can make a plan to resolve it.
What Is Disability Discrimination and why it matters
What is disability discrimination at work?
Disability discrimination happens when an employer treats you unfairly because of a long-term physical or mental health condition. This includes failing to make reasonable adjustments, excluding you from opportunities, or creating a hostile work environment.
UK law protects you under the Equality Act 2010 if your condition has a “substantial and long-term” impact on your daily life, including conditions like anxiety, depression, long COVID, diabetes, mobility impairments, and many others.
Why it matters
Disability discrimination is illegal. If you’ve experienced it, you may be entitled to take legal action and potentially receive compensation or force your employer to make changes. But many people don’t realise their rights, or assume their condition doesn’t count.
Valla helps you understand where you stand, document what’s happened, and take the right steps to get support or bring a claim, all without the high cost of a solicitor.
Take Action Against Disability Discrimination in 5 Steps
If you’ve experienced disability discrimination, you may not be sure what to do next. Valla gives you the tools to take clear, legal steps to protect yourself.
Step 1: Log what’s happened
Use our timeline tool to record incidents, like refused adjustments, unfair treatment, or exclusion — with dates, details, and supporting evidence.
Step 2: Request reasonable adjustments
If your employer hasn’t made changes to support your condition, use our templates to formally ask for adjustments and put your request in writing.
Step 3: Raise a grievance
If the issue continues, you can raise a formal grievance. We’ll help you write a clear, structured letter that outlines the discrimination and how it’s affected you.
Step 4: Understand if you have a legal claim
Book a Merits Assessment to find out if your experience could lead to a legal claim under the Equality Act 2010, and what compensation you might be entitled to.
Step 5: Submit a Tribunal claim
If you decide to move forward, we’ll help you complete your ET1 claim and draft your Particulars of Claim, with guidance from legal coaches to give you the best chance of success.
Why Use Valla to Deal With Disability Discrimination
Disability discrimination at work can be difficult to face, especially when you're unsure of your rights or can’t afford a solicitor. Valla gives you affordable, expert-guided support to take action with confidence.
Valla is designed to help you take control of your situation and protect your rights without the stress and cost of going it alone.
What you get with Valla:
Step-by-step guidance based on UK employment law and the Equality Act 2010
Legal coach reviews of your documents before submission
Clear advice on whether your health condition meets the legal definition of a disability
Support with building and submitting an ET1 claim to the Employment Tribunal
A lower-cost, accessible alternative to hiring a traditional law firm
What People Say About Using Valla
"Valla was a breath of fresh air. They break everything down into easy-to-understand steps, giving me clarity and confidence."
- Jamie Blackwood, Essex