Disability adjustments in the family court — reasonable adjustments that actually help

REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-09-01

Your right to adjustments

The Equality Act 2010 requires courts and tribunals to make reasonable adjustments for disabled parties, witnesses and members of the public. HMCTS also has a statutory duty under the Public Sector Equality Duty to consider the needs of disabled users. Adjustments are not favours: a failure to make reasonable adjustments can itself amount to procedural unfairness, and a judge can be asked to accommodate needs as part of fair case management.

What to ask for — and how

Tell the court about your needs as early as possible. The main routes:

Tick the box on the application form (C100, C1, or the response forms) marking yourself as a vulnerable party or needing adjustments, and describe them.
File a short grounds for special measures / adjustments request — in private children cases the court considers vulnerable party provisions (Family Procedure Rules Part 3A and Practice Direction 3AA), which cover disability alongside abuse and other vulnerabilities.
Email the court's listing office or use the myHMCTS account if e-filing, setting out specific needs for each listed hearing.

Adjustments commonly granted

Ground-floor or accessible courtrooms, accessible parking and a quiet room to wait in away from the other party.
Hearing loop, sign language interpreters or speech-to-text (palantype) reporting for deaf and hard-of-hearing users.
Documents in accessible formats: large print, easy-read, Braille (ask early — conversion takes time).
Breaks at intervals to manage pain, fatigue, medication or blood sugar; the judge can build these into the timetable.
Extra time or reduced hours hearings for cognitive or mental-health conditions.
Participation directions: giving evidence by video link or from behind a screen where disability makes live evidence especially difficult.
Permission for a supporter to sit with you (not to represent you).

Practical tips

1. Be specific and medical where possible: "I need a 10-minute break every 45 minutes due to [condition]" is grantable; "I struggle in court" is not. 2. Ask for adjustments to be recorded in the court's order or case management record so each judge and listing officer sees them. 3. If a listed courtroom is inaccessible, contact listing immediately — rooms can be changed before the day if the court knows. 4. If adjustments fail on the day, say so politely on the record; you can ask for a short adjournment to remedy the situation rather than proceeding unfairly.

Who else can help

Court staff can explain facilities but cannot give legal advice. The HMCTS "help with fees" and user support teams handle accessibility queries; Witness Service volunteers support witnesses. For advice on rights, Citizens Advice can explain the Equality Act duties.

Official links

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/courts-and-tribunals-support-for-vulnerable-users (HMCTS support for vulnerable users)
https://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/procedure-rules/family/parts/part_03a (FPR Part 3A: vulnerable parties)
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15 (Equality Act 2010)
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/ (advice on disability rights)

This page is general information, not legal advice. YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory and is not affiliated with HMCTS or gov.uk.

Content verified against the official HMCTS court directory, gov.uk forms and fees pages, and the professional body registers (SRA, FMC, Bar Council). Last reviewed September 2026.