ICAEW’s “Reasonable Adjustments Policy” outlines our commitment to ensuring equal access to the complaints process for all individuals, including those with disabilities or specific needs.
The policy emphasises a personalised approach to reasonable adjustments, recognising that each individual's needs are unique and must be addressed on a case-by-case basis. ICAEW is proactive in informing individuals about the availability of reasonable adjustments, through initial correspondence, relevant documents and our website.
There is a strong commitment to compliance with legal duties under the Equality Act 2010, ensuring there is equal access to services, and our policy includes a robust process for requesting, assessing, and implementing reasonable adjustments, with a focus on practicality and resource availability.
We will monitor and review the policy on an annual basis to ensure it remains effective and continues to meet the needs of complainants.
Key points include the following.
- Purpose: the policy aims to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate individuals' needs and ensure services are accessible to everyone. It acknowledges that adjustments are based on individual needs and circumstances.
- Scope: the policy applies to anyone interacting with the complaints process or involved in a conduct matter. It covers all stages of the complaints process, from initial contact to resolution.
- Legal duties: under the Equality Act 2010, ICAEW has a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people to ensure equal access to services.
- Definition of reasonable adjustments: adjustments are changes to processes, procedures, or the environment to prevent substantial disadvantages for disabled people or those with specific needs compared to what’s in place.
- Requesting reasonable adjustments: adjustments can be requested at any stage of the complaints process, verbally, in writing, or through other accessible means. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis. ICAEW will record and monitor requests to improve processes.
- Types of reasonable adjustments: adjustments may include providing information in alternative formats, allowing more time for responses, offering assistance with administrative tasks, providing communication support, and ensuring correspondence is clear and accessible.
- Assessing requests: requests are assessed based on a person’s ability to overcome difficulties, practicality, available resources, and impact on other service users and staff. ICAEW will discuss adjustments with the individual concerned and implement reasonable adjustments at no cost to them.
- Implementing adjustments: we will implement approved adjustments promptly, with progress updates provided to the individual.
- Monitoring and review: the effectiveness of the policy and adjustments are monitored and reviewed annually to ensure they meet the needs of complainants.
- Complaints about this policy: any complaints about the handling of reasonable adjustments will be seriously and promptly investigated.
Further resources
ICAEW Reasonable Adjustments Policy
Download the policy to learn more about how adjustments can be made to ensure disabled people or those with specific needs can be accommodated throughout the complaints process.
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