66,000 waiting, 3 late shifts, 6% dyscalculia: 6 answers

66,000 Access to Work applications were still waiting for a decision in March 2026. That's up from 21,700 in March 2022 (Public Accounts Committee, 12 June 2026).

That number sits behind this week's most-searched dyslexia workplace question. Six more follow it below.

Each answer is short, direct, and sourced. Act on it today, instead of waiting for a maybe.

How long does Access to Work take in 2026?

Access to Work is quoting waits of up to 37 weeks for a first decision. The target is 25 working days (Public Accounts Committee, 12 June 2026).

The National Audit Office checked the real average. It found 106 working days as of November 2025, still four times the target (NAO, February 2026).

Waiting does not pause your employer's own duty to help. That duty runs under the Equality Act 2010, decision or no decision.

A written adjustment request starts that duty immediately. It doesn't need to mention Access to Work at all.

The Access to Work calculator estimates what your award could be worth. Then you know what you're actually waiting for.

Say your claim is still pending after three months. Ask HR for a written interim update, and copy in your line manager. That keeps the paper trail alive if the wait becomes relevant later.

Apply now if you haven't. Ask your employer to fund low-cost items upfront, then claim the money back once Access to Work decides.

Should I tell a recruiter I have dyslexia?

Not unless you need an adjustment to get through the recruitment process itself. UK and US law both treat disclosure as your choice (British Dyslexia Association, accessed August 2026).

The catch: the duty starts only once the recruiter or employer knows. Stay silent, and you can't expect extra time on a test or a different interview format.

Section 60 of the Equality Act 2010 already stops UK employers asking about disability before an offer. It doesn't stop you volunteering it earlier, if an adjustment would help you get there.

The US position is similar. Employers generally can't ask about a disability before a job offer, under the ADA.

Recruitment agencies are covered by the Equality Act 2010 too, not just the end employer. The same rule applies: no obligation to disclose, but no adjustment without it either.

The disclosure decision guide walks through your own case. It gives a straight answer, not "it depends."

Only disclose to a recruiter if you need an adjustment during the process itself. Otherwise, the safer default is to wait until you're further along.

Can my employer refuse an adjustment because of company policy?

No. A rule that applies to everyone is exactly what triggers the duty to make an exception. That's under the Equality Act 2010.

A UK tribunal ruled a security firm discriminated against a dyslexic guard. It had refused him 15 to 20 minutes' leeway on shift starts, citing policy alone.

The case is Bryce v Sentry Consulting Limited, published on gov.uk in February 2023.

In the US, Dollar General paid $47,500 after refusing to read a written test aloud to a dyslexic employee. It demoted him over the result (EEOC press release, 23 October 2013).

The same principle covers more than shift times. It applies to dress codes, exam formats, and any "standard process" applied without exception.

If your employer cites "company policy" as the reason to refuse, ask for that reason in writing. Request a time-limited trial instead. A rule for everyone is not a defence.

Is dyscalculia the same as dyslexia?

No. About 60% of dyslexic adults report some difficulty with maths. Only around 6% actually have dyscalculia, a distinct difficulty with number sense (British Dyslexia Association; SASC definition, 2025).

Most dyslexia-linked maths trouble comes from working memory and sequencing, not a separate condition. Transposing digits, or losing your place mid-calculation, is a reading and memory problem wearing a maths costume.

The two conditions can overlap. Most dyslexic adults who struggle with maths don't have dyscalculia at all.

A worked example: a dyslexic project manager transposes numbers in a spreadsheet, then assumes she has dyscalculia. A quick check usually finds a proofing slip, not a maths problem.

Treat maths mistakes the same way you treat reading mistakes: with a checking step, not a new diagnosis. Only chase a dyscalculia assessment if numbers themselves feel meaningless, not just the words around them.

What do I do while my Access to Work claim is stuck?

Ask your employer to pay for low-cost adjustments now. Claim the money back once Access to Work decides.

Employer repayments usually land within 10 working days of a claim (LSE Access to Work Toolkit; AbilityNet, July 2026).

Your employer's duty under the Equality Act 2010 does not wait for Access to Work's decision. A UK tribunal upheld three separate discrimination claims against one employer.

Agreed adjustments took seven months to arrive. The case is Rashid v Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (Thrive Law analysis, 21 July 2026).

Under six weeks into a new role, the Tech Fund's urgent track can decide within 28 days. That's under DWP Access to Work guidance, 2026.

A worked example

One reader's Access to Work claim had been open for four months with no decision. Her employer agreed to buy a £150 headset and dictation licence directly.

The employer claimed the cost back once the Access to Work award came through. The adjustment started that week, not four months later.

The Access to Work guide covers the reimbursement process step by step.

Don't let a stuck Access to Work claim stall your adjustments. Ask your employer to front the cost now. The legal duty to help doesn't pause for a backlog.

Do I need a diagnosis to ask for workplace adjustments?

No. The duty to make reasonable adjustments starts when your employer knows, or ought reasonably to know, about the difficulty. Not when a report confirms it (ACAS guidance, updated 30 January 2025).

In the US, the ADA's interactive process works the same way. A formal diagnosis helps your case, but it isn't the trigger for a conversation about accommodations.

This applies whether you're newly diagnosed, self-identifying, or still deciding whether to get assessed at all. The threshold is the difficulty itself, not the paperwork behind it.

The reasonable adjustments builder turns your own list of problems into a plan and a draft email. It works whether or not you have a diagnosis yet.

If you suspect dyslexia but don't have a diagnosis, ask for adjustments based on the difficulty itself. Pursue an assessment in parallel, not as a precondition.

What this means for you

Two patterns run through all six answers. First, waiting for an official process rarely gets you help fastest. That's true whether the process is Access to Work, a diagnosis, or a policy review.

Second, every legal protection here starts the moment your employer knows. It doesn't start the moment paperwork catches up. That's true whether the paperwork is a tribunal case, an assessment report, or a claim reference.

If you're weighing whether to disclose, wait, or push back on a policy, start here. Ask what your employer already knows, then act from that point.

None of these six answers need a dramatic conversation. Most start with a short, factual email: what the difficulty is, and what would help.

Don't let an unfinished process become your reason to stay quiet. Ask for what you need in writing, today, and let the paperwork catch up behind you.