Do you need assistance?
The Home Office is a Disability Confident Leader. We want to ensure that all candidates have the opportunity to fully participate in our recruitment processes and demonstrate their full potential. And we are committed to considering requests for reasonable adjustments from candidates fairly and in line with the Equality Act 2010.
We respect that each disabled person’s needs will be different. Whether it is a British Sign Language interpreter or additional time during an interview, requests for adjustments will be reviewed carefully and treated in confidence. The information that you share with us as part of this request will not affect how your application proceeds.
Examples of assistance we have previously provided at different stages of our recruitment include:
Application stage
Providing printed material in an alternative format, such as braille, audio, or British Sign Language.
Online tests
Some on-line test questions are presented as videos. We recognise that some people may not be able to access these videos. Therefore, written transcripts are also available within the test. The videos also contain subtitles and audio description which describes the video setting.
Pre-recorded interviews
Some of our interviews are pre-recorded, with a set time for a response. If this approach presents a barrier or disadvantage because of a disability or long-term health condition, you can request adjustments. For example, we may be able to allow additional time for you to process information or respond. An alternative interview approach could also be considered.
Virtual or face-to-face live interviews
Some of our interviews will be live, via Microsoft Teams video conference or a face-to-face interview. If this approach presents a barrier or disadvantage, because of a disability or long-term health condition, you can request adjustments. Examples of some adjustments we can consider include:
- Scheduling breaks during an interview.
- Using communication support services, such as a British Sign Language interpreter or a Lip Speaker.
- Providing interview questions shortly before the interview starts.
- A pre-visit to the interview location to familiarise and check the environment and accessibility.
These are examples and not an exhaustive list.
We are here to help support you
As a candidate, you are not obliged to provide us with information regarding your health during the selection process. However, we can only make adjustments where we know about them and based on the information you give us. If you do decide to disclose any health condition or disability in order to request an adjustment during selection, please provide us with as much information as possible on the specific adjustment you require to help us consider your request. Separately, if you are successful in your application, we will ask you to complete a health declaration as part of our pre-employment process.
You may have already ticked the ‘assistance required’ box in your application form. If you have forgotten to tick the box, or in retrospect now feel that you may require an adjustment, it may not be too late to request one. You can let us know by emailing the address shown in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section of the job advert, to discuss any requests you have.
Any information you provide will be held in strict confidence.
We always recommend that you keep a copy of the job advert for your records. When the advert closes it will no longer be available to view on the system.