Often Forgotten UK Disability's

1.Hidden Disabilities

Hidden disabilities are conditions that may not be obvious but can still seriously affect daily life, work, education, travel, communication, pain, fatigue, mobility, concentration or independence.

Examples include:

• Chronic pain
• Fibromyalgia
• ME/CFS
• Epilepsy
• Diabetes
• Crohn’s disease
• Long COVID
• Mental health conditions
• Autism
• ADHD
• Heart or lung conditions
• Brain injury
• Stoma or continence conditions

Disabled people may be protected under the Equality Act 2010, and organisations may have a duty to make reasonable adjustments. The Equality Act includes a duty to make reasonable adjustments, and GOV.UK explains that employers must make adjustments so disabled workers or people with health conditions are not substantially disadvantaged.

Useful support

Hidden Disabilities Sunflower
For people who want a discreet way to show they may need extra time, help or understanding.

GOV.UK reasonable adjustments at work
Useful for employment, apprenticeships and workplace support.

ACAS reasonable adjustments
Practical employment advice for workers and employers.

Access to Work
Government support for disabled people in work, apprenticeships or self-employment.

2. Chronic Pain

Chronic pain can affect mobility, sleep, mood, concentration, work, education and independence.

Support may include:

• GP review
• Pain clinic referral
• Physiotherapy
• Occupational therapy
• Mental health support
• Medication review
• Pacing and fatigue management
• Workplace or education adjustments
• Benefits advice
• Mobility aids or home adaptations

Ask your GP about pain management, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and local chronic pain services.

3. Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia can cause widespread pain, fatigue, sleep problems, brain fog, headaches, IBS symptoms and sensitivity to touch, light or noise.

Support may include:

• GP care
• Rheumatology or pain clinic input
• Occupational therapy
• Fatigue management
• Flexible working or learning
• Mental health support
• Reasonable adjustments
• Benefits advice

Fibromyalgia often overlaps with conditions such as ME/CFS and Long COVID, with symptom management focused on improving quality of life.

4. ME/CFS

ME/CFS is a long-term condition that can affect different parts of the body; the NHS says the most common symptom is extreme tiredness and that it can affect anyone, including children.

Support may include:

• GP care
• Specialist ME/CFS service where available
• Energy management and pacing
• Education or work adjustments
• Home learning or remote working
• Mobility support
• Social care assessment if daily living is affected
• Carer support

Important adjustment examples:

• Flexible deadlines
• Reduced hours
• Rest breaks
• Remote access
• Quiet space
• Avoiding overexertion
• Help with transport
• Recording meetings or lectures

5. Epilepsy

Epilepsy may affect safety, driving, work, education, swimming, bathing, cooking, sleep and independence.

Support may include:

• GP or neurologist
• Epilepsy nurse
• Medication review
• Seizure care plan
• Workplace risk assessment
• Education support plan
• Travel safety planning
• Benefits advice if daily life is affected

Ask for reasonable adjustments such as:

• Safe rest space after seizures
• Flexible attendance
• Avoiding lone working where unsafe
• Adjustments around flashing lights
• Emergency plan shared with trusted staff
• Time off for appointments

6. Diabetes

Diabetes can affect energy, concentration, vision, mobility, wound healing and emergency health needs.

Support may include:

• GP or diabetes nurse
• NHS diabetes clinic
• Eye screening
• Foot checks
• Dietitian support
• Reasonable adjustments at work or education
• Safe storage for medication
• Breaks for blood glucose testing, food or insulin

Adjustments may include:

• Carrying medical supplies
• Food and drink access
• Flexible breaks
• Time off for appointments
• Emergency hypo plan
• Private space for medication

7. Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s disease can cause pain, fatigue, diarrhoea, urgency, weight changes, surgery needs, stoma care and mental health impacts.

Support may include:

• GP
• Gastroenterology team
• IBD nurse
• Dietitian
• Toilet access support
• Workplace and education adjustments
• Benefits advice
• Social care support if daily life is affected

Useful adjustments:

• Easy toilet access
• Flexible breaks
• Remote working or study
• Time off for flare-ups
• Adjusted attendance rules
• Access to medication and food
• Not being penalised for urgent symptoms

8. Long COVID

Long COVID may include fatigue, breathlessness, pain, brain fog, dizziness, palpitations, post-exertional symptom worsening and mental health impacts.

Support may include:

• GP assessment
• NHS Long COVID clinic where available
• Occupational therapy
• Physiotherapy when appropriate
• Pacing advice
• Work or study adjustments
• Benefits advice
• Social care assessment if daily living is affected

Long COVID can share symptoms with ME/CFS, including fatigue and cognitive problems.

9. Sensory Disabilities

Sensory disabilities include:

• Blindness
• Partial sight
• Deafness
• Hearing loss
• Tinnitus
• Deafblindness
• Dual sensory loss

People with sensory disabilities may need communication support, accessible information, mobility support, specialist equipment and reasonable adjustments.

NHS England says reasonable adjustments are a legal requirement to make health services accessible to disabled people.

10. Blindness and Sight Loss

Support may include:

• GP or optician
• Eye clinic
• Certificate of Vision Impairment
• Local council sensory impairment team
• Mobility training
• Assistive technology
• Large print, audio or Braille
• Benefits advice
• Home adaptations

Useful organisations:

RNIB – sight loss support, advice and accessible information.
Guide Dogs UK – mobility, guide dogs and confidence support.
Local council sensory impairment team – use GOV.UK find your local council.

11. Deafness and Hearing Loss

Support may include:

• GP
• Audiology
• Hearing aids
• BSL interpreter
• Speech-to-text support
• Relay UK
• Text/email contact
• Visual alerts
• Accessible NHS communication

Useful organisations:

RNID – support for deaf people, hearing loss and tinnitus.
SignHealth – health and wellbeing support for Deaf people.
Relay UK – phone relay support.

People can ask NHS services for accessible information and communication support, including BSL or other communication needs.

12. Dual Sensory Loss / Deafblindness

Dual sensory loss means having both hearing and sight difficulties. It can affect communication, mobility, independence, safety and access to information. Deafblind UK provides practical help, emotional support, technology support and advice for people with sight and hearing loss.

Support may include:

• Local council deafblind assessment
• Specialist communicator guide
• Mobility training
• Accessible technology
• Home adaptations
• Carer support
• Advocacy
• Accessible information

Contact:

Deafblind UK
Sense
Local council sensory impairment team

13. Learning Disabilities

People with learning disabilities have the same rights to healthcare, housing, education, employment, relationships, independence and safety as everyone else.

NHS information is available for learning disabilities, and NHS England has a learning disability and autism programme focused on improving care and support.

Support may include:

• Annual health checks
• Hospital passport
• Reasonable adjustments
• Easy Read information
• Advocacy
• Social care assessment
• Supported living
• Direct payments
• Employment support
• Education and adult learning support
• Carer support

Useful organisations:

Mencap – learning disability advice and support.
Learning Disability England – rights, inclusion and citizenship.
British Institute of Learning Disabilities – resources and practice guidance.
Local council adult social care – assessments, support planning and safeguarding.

14. Independent Living

Independent living means having choice, control and support to live safely and with dignity.

Support may include:

• Care needs assessment
• Direct payments
• Personal assistants
• Home care
• Supported living
• Equipment
• Home adaptations
• Blue Badge
• Accessible transport
• Advocacy
• Carer support

Start with:

Find your local council – GOV.UK
Use this for Adult Social Care, housing, Blue Badge, occupational therapy and local disability support.

NHS social care and support guide
Explains care, support, assessments, carers and equipment.

15. Healthcare Access

Disabled people can ask NHS services for reasonable adjustments.

Examples:

• Longer appointments
• Quiet waiting area
• Easy Read letters
• Large print letters
• BSL interpreter
• Text or email contact
• Step-free access
• Carer involvement
• Hospital passport
• Appointment reminders
• Accessible toilets
• Home visits where appropriate

Ask the GP surgery, hospital, dentist, optician or clinic to record your access needs.

16. Employment Support

Disabled people can ask for reasonable adjustments at work. GOV.UK states employers must make reasonable adjustments for disabled workers and people with health conditions.

Support may include:

• Access to Work
• Flexible hours
• Remote working
• Adjusted duties
• Extra breaks
• Assistive technology
• Workplace equipment
• Support worker
• Mental health support
• Travel support
• Phased return after illness

Useful services:

GOV.UK Access to Work
GOV.UK reasonable adjustments
ACAS
Citizens Advice
Disability Rights UK
Scope

17. Accessibility Guides

Accessible travel

Accessible travel support may include:

• Passenger assistance
• Blue Badge parking
• Disabled Persons Railcard
• Assistance at airports
• Accessible taxis
• Mobility scooter or wheelchair planning
• Step-free route planning
• Accessible toilets
• Travel insurance for medical conditions

GOV.UK has guidance for disabled travellers abroad, noting that accessibility standards and facilities can differ from the UK.

Useful places:

• Train company passenger assistance
• National Rail accessibility information
• Airport special assistance
• Local council Blue Badge team
• Transport for London accessibility pages
• GOV.UK disabled travellers guidance

Accessible housing

Accessible housing may include:

• Step-free access
• Wet room
• Wider doorways
• Ground-floor accommodation
• Wheelchair-accessible kitchen
• Stairlift
• Hoist
• Adapted bathroom
• Supported living
• Emergency alarms
• Safer layout for sensory needs

Scope explains that accessible housing applications often involve local council or housing association processes and evidence of access needs.

Start with:

• Local council housing department
• Adult Social Care
• Occupational therapy assessment
• Disabled Facilities Grant
• Housing association
• Shelter
• Citizens Advice
• Scope housing advice

Accessible websites

Disabled people may need websites that work with:

• Screen readers
• Keyboard navigation
• Voice control
• Captions
• Clear layout
• Plain English
• Easy Read
• High contrast
• Zoom and magnification
• No flashing content
• Accessible forms

Public sector websites should meet accessibility requirements. If a website is not accessible, ask the organisation for an alternative format or reasonable adjustment.

Accessible shopping

Shops and services should consider reasonable adjustments for disabled customers.

Examples:

• Step-free access
• Assistance in store
• Priority queue support
• Quiet shopping hours
• Accessible changing rooms
• Accessible toilets
• Help carrying items
• Online alternatives
• Assistance for blind or visually impaired customers
• Communication support for Deaf customers
• Extra time at checkout

Ask customer services for accessibility help or a reasonable adjustment.

Accessible banking

Banks should provide accessible services.

Support may include:

• Large print, Braille or audio statements
• Telephone banking adjustments
• Online banking accessibility
• Branch assistance
• Third-party access
• Power of Attorney support
• Chip and signature cards
• Talking cash machines
• Quiet appointments
• Support for people with learning disabilities or dementia

Ask your bank for its accessibility team or vulnerable customer support team.

Key support links and numbers

Support

Contact

Emergency services

999

NHS urgent help

111

NHS mental health crisis

111, mental health option

Police non-emergency

101

Samaritans

116 123

Shout crisis text

Text SHOUT to 85258

Scope

0808 800 3333

Disability Rights UK

0330 995 0400

Citizens Advice

Online/local service

Mencap

0808 808 1111

Mind

0300 123 3393

Carers UK

0808 808 7777

RNIB

Sight loss support

RNID

Hearing loss support

Deafblind UK

Deafblind support

Sense

Complex disability and deafblind support

What to say when asking for help

“I have a disability / health condition / access need. I need reasonable adjustments and accessible support. Please record my communication needs and tell me what help is available for healthcare, social care, transport, housing, work, education, benefits and independent living.”

Useful things to ask for straight away:

• Easy Read information
• Large print, audio or Braille
• BSL interpreter
• Relay UK
• Email or text instead of phone
• Longer appointments
• Quiet appointments
• Step-free access
• Accessible toilets
• Carer or advocate involvement
• Home visit if needed
• Care needs assessment
• Carer’s assessment
• Occupational therapy assessment
• Benefits advice
• Safeguarding support
• Reasonable adjustments at work, college, university or public services