Your rights at work
GAD can count as a disability under the Equality Act 2010 if it has a substantial, long-term effect on your daily life. If it does, your employer must consider reasonable adjustments, such as:
- advance notice of changes, meetings and deadlines
- a quieter workspace, or working from home some days
- written instructions
- flexibility for therapy appointments
- agreed ways to take a short break if anxiety builds
Access to Work offers a free Mental Health Support Service to help you stay in work.
Benefits
PIP is based on how GAD affects you on most days. Anxiety can affect:
- mixing with other people: needing someone with you, or feeling overwhelming distress
- planning and following journeys: needing someone with you, or not being able to go out because of overwhelming distress
- managing money: if anxiety makes decisions overwhelming
- preparing food, washing and dressing: if you need prompting or encouragement
Describe what happens when you try to do these things, how often, and what happens afterwards, such as panic attacks or needing to rest.
PIP points self-check
Go through the 12 PIP activities one at a time and see roughly how many points may apply to you.
About 10 minutes. Your answers never leave your device.
If you cannot work because of your mental health, you may be able to get Universal Credit or New Style Employment and Support Allowance.
Sources we used
- GOV.UK, Definition of disability under the Equality Act 2010
- GOV.UK, Access to Work
- GOV.UK, Personal Independence Payment
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