Receiving a disability disclosure for line managers
Updated on: 22 January 2026
Responsibilities of line managers when receiving a disclosure.
Reasons for disclosing a disability
The Equality Act 2010 offers protection based on impairments of which the employer is aware or could be reasonably expected to be aware.
- The University encourages staff to disclose disabilities to their line manager, or via HR Self-Service.
- Alternatively, staff may prefer to disclose to their HR Business Partner, Occupational Health (OH) or to the EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion) team at diversity@st-andrews.ac.uk.
Staff disability data can help ensure that the University is aware of the range of on-site disabilities, increasing relevant planning, activity and Health and Safety considerations.
All personal data will be handled sensitively and confidentially, in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The University’s Head of Information Assurance and Governance can advise on concerns or questions around use of personal data.
Initial response and information sharing
Upon receiving a disclosure, as a line manager, you must ensure that the appropriate support is offered to the employee.
Ask the employee for agreement to share the disclosure with their HR Business Partner (HRBP) so that next steps can be agreed.
Referral and support pathways
You may refer employees to Occupational Health (OH) to provide appropriate support and advice.
- Note that a referal to Occupational Health does not represent a disclosure to the University.
- Occupational Health will require the employee’s permission to make the University reasonably aware of its responsibilities in individual cases.
The HR Business Partner will usually refer the employee to Occupational Health to arrange appropriate adjustments and support. With the employee’s agreement, recommendations and outcomes will be passed to the line manager, for progression as appropriate.
Line manager responsibilities for adjustments
With support and guidance from HR and Occupational Health as appropriate, it is your responsibility as a line manager to:
- receive disclosures of disability respectfully
- ensure that adjustments are progressed as soon as they become aware of the need and implemented wherever reasonable.
- keep the employee informed about progress and realistic timelines.
Once adjustments are in place, check with the employee that these are suitable. Access advice around any necessary amendments from the University’s EDI Team by emailing diversity@st-andrews.ac.uk.
Clarification and professional boundaries
It is recognised that in some situations, you may need to seek further information or clarification from employees, to ensure that the best possible support is offered. However, it is not appropriate to challenge the diagnoses or recommendations of medical practitioners, Occupational Health or other needs assessors (for example, Access to Work facilitators).
It is important to consider the intersection between disability and protected characteristics, which may discourage an employee from disclosing. For example, an older employee may have developed an impairment over time or as part of life cycle health issues such as menopause.
Appendix A: Disability categories and definitions
Physical
- Definition
- limits a person's mobility, dexterity, or stamina
- Examples (not exhaustive)
- paralysis, osteoporosis, ME (chronic fatigue syndrome)
- HESA definitions
- a physical impairment or mobility issues, such as difficulty using arms or using a wheelchair or crutches
Fluctuating or recurring
- Definition
- produce greater and lesser symptoms over time
- Examples (not exhaustive)
- rheumatoid arthritis; fibromyalgia, endometriosis
- HESA definitions
- any disability category, select as appropriate
Sensory
- Definition
- affects one or more of the sense
- Examples (not exhaustive)
- D/deafness, partial sightedness, tinnitus
- HESA definitions
- deaf or a serious hearing impairment, blind or a serious visual impairment uncorrected by glasses
Progressive
- Definition
- conditions that get worse or produce a greater impact over time
- Examples (not exhaustive)
- multiple sclerosis (MS), cystic fibrosis
- HESA definitions
- a long-standing illness or health condition such as cancer, HIV, diabetes, chronic heart disease, or epilepsy
Autoimmune
- Definition
- causes the body’s immune system to attack itself
- Examples (not exhaustive)
- lupus, HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)
- HESA definitions
- a long-standing illness or health condition such as cancer, HIV, diabetes, chronic heart disease, or epilepsy
Organ-specific
- Definition
- conditions which affect a particular organ or system
- Examples (not exhaustive)
- heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes
- HESA definitions
- a long-standing illness or health condition such as cancer, HIV, diabetes, chronic heart disease, or epilepsy
Neurological
- Definition
- conditions which affect the nervous system
- Examples (not exhaustive)
- multiple sclerosis (MS), neuropathy, complex regional pain syndrome
- HESA definitions
- a long-standing illness or health condition such as cancer, HIV, diabetes, chronic heart disease, or epilepsy
Developmental conditions and Specific Learning Differences (SpLDs)
- Definition
- neurological differences impacting processing
- Examples (not exhaustive)
- dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia (note there is some contention around which categories best represent neurodiverse conditions, for example, autism, (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), dyspraxia)
- HESA definitions
- a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, or ad(h)d a social or communication impairment such as asperger's syndrome or other autistic spectrum disorder
Mental health conditions and mental illnesses
- Definition
- conditions which affect cognition, emotional regulation, or behaviour
- Examples (not exhaustive)
- anxiety, bipolar conditions, obsessive compulsive conditions (note there is some contention around which categories best represent neurodiverse conditions, for example, autism, (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), dyspraxia)
- HESA definitions
- a mental health condition such as depression, schizophrenia or anxiety disorder
Other
- Definition
- any condition experienced in accordance with the key terms of the Equality Act 2010, that is not covered above
- HESA definitions
- a disability, impairment or medical condition that is not listed
Please note, the information above is not intended to be definitive or exhaustive. For conditions to be protected by law, they must be experienced in accordance with the key terms of the Equality Act 2010.