Disability, neurodiversity and mental health

At the Careers Service we strive to promote inclusivity and representation and work closely with students, graduates and employers to ensure opportunities are equitable and inclusive for all. We are keen to support our disabled students and graduates in the transition from study to the workplace and these pages highlight the range of our offer.

The term “disability” covers many types of health conditions both physical and mental, specific learning difficulties and neurodiverse conditions. Any of these entitle you to access extra support during both the recruitment process and in the workplace.

It is important for you as a disabled applicant to know that The Equality Act 2010 protects those with a physical or mental health disability against discrimination when applying for jobs and less favourable treatment when in employment. Employers also have a legal duty to make 'reasonable adjustments' to reduce or remove obstacles disabled people may face in the recruitment process and workplace, and ensure that disabled employees are able to carry out their duties without being disadvantaged compared to others.

Support and advice

The Careers Service offers extended appointments for "Career planning with a disability or health concern" to discuss careers issues for students and graduates relating to their disability e.g. disclosure, adjustments and finding disability positive employers. These may cover sharing information about your disability, discussing adjustments and sourcing specialist programmes. You will find more detailed information and sources of advice below. We also link with employers who are particularly keen to actively promote opportunities to students and graduates with disabilities and health conditions. Look out for events and opportunities detailed in the section below.

In addition, we also offer the services of our Next Generation Inclusive University partnership with EmployAbility. This partnership enhances our drive to support our students with mental health conditions, neurodivergent conditions and other disabilities, to ensure they get the careers they deserve.

EmployAbility can provide you with individualised advice and support about adjustments for recruitment and the workplace, information about your rights, and support you with your application. The EmployAbility team will also advocate for you with an employer to ensure you receive the adjustments you need, taking any stress and anxiety out of the process.

Upcoming events and vacancies

Find out about our online workshops for students and graduates with disabilities/mental health conditions and regular updates on organisations with vacancies and events. You can also watch recordings of our past talks and sessions.

Sharing information about your disability

Sharing information about your disability with an employer is something that requires careful thought, is a personal decision and can be challenging. You may prefer not to discuss your condition(s) with a prospective employer or feel better knowing you have been open from the start. Remember that asking for adjustments is your right and the aim of having them in place is to remove any barriers you may face in the process. Here we discuss the pros and cons of sharing your information:

Requesting adjustments

Requesting and being given adjustments are a crucial part of the application process. They enable you to access the support you are entitled to so you can be considered in exactly the same way as a non-disabled applicant. Find out more:

Finding graduate employers

Advice and information on researching and finding employers actively recruiting disabled candidates.

Further sources of help and advice

Helpful organisations that offer a range of advice, guidance and support on recruitment and employment issues including disclosure are listed on the following page.