Mental Health,
Neurodiversity & Joining
What the rules say about joining the police with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, anxiety, depression or a history of mental ill health, how the force medical assesses it, and the reasonable adjustments the College of Policing offers in the recruitment assessments.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 1 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
Yes, it is possible. No regulation or national guidance we read bars ADHD, autism, dyslexia, anxiety or depression. Home Office standards say no one is excluded automatically for a condition; occupational health assesses each case, and some conditions need more evidence. You can ask for reasonable adjustments, such as extra time, in the assessments. Declare your history honestly.
This page sets out the rules for police constable candidates in England and Wales. It does not assess you, and it is not medical advice. If you are worried about your mental health right now, your wellbeing matters more than any application: the services below are free and confidential, and help works.
The principle: individual assessment, not a list of bans
Regulation 10(1)(d) of the Police Regulations 2003 requires a doctor approved by the local policing body to certify that a candidate is "fitted both physically and mentally" for the duties. It does not name any condition.
Home Office Circular 59/2004, the national medical standard still published on GOV.UK, says it is unlawful to exclude candidates automatically on the basis of a medical condition or disability, that each case should be assessed individually on its merits, and that the standards reflect fitness at the time of assessment and for a reasonable time. The national recruitment site says everyone is welcome in policing, that there are tens of thousands of officers and staff with disabilities, and also that some conditions will prevent someone becoming an operational officer. Both are true: the decision is about you and the role, not the label.
What the Home Office mental health standards say
The 2004 "Recommended Medical Standards" have a section headed "Recommended Mental and Psychiatric Health Standards". Its indicative categories for a police applicant are:
| Heading in the standards | Indicative category | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Mood disorders / depression / bipolar disorders | Likely to require further information, investigation and assessment | |
| Generalised anxiety, panic, phobic anxiety, OCD, adjustment disorder, PTSD | Likely to require further information, investigation and assessment | |
| Eating disorders | Likely to require further information, investigation and assessment | |
| Somatoform, factitious and dissociative disorders; chronic fatigue syndrome | Likely to require further information, investigation and assessment | |
| Disorders first diagnosed in childhood or adolescence | May not be suitable but further information, investigation, assessment required | "Assessment should be made on a case by case basis" |
| Schizophrenia and related disorders | May not be suitable but further information, investigation, assessment required | Case by case |
| Substance related disorders | Unlikely to be compatible but further information and assessment needed | Case by case |
| Personality disorders; cognitive and amnestic disorders | Unlikely to be suitable | Case by case |
These headings come from a 2004 document written under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. The standards do not name ADHD, autism or dyslexia. Whether a force's occupational health team treats a condition as one "first diagnosed in childhood or adolescence" is a clinical judgement; we have not seen a force policy that says so, and the circular itself calls all the categories "indicative only". We found no newer national standard.
ADHD, autism, dyslexia, anxiety and depression: what to expect
- ADHD. Not named in the regulations or the 2004 standards. Expect occupational health to ask about diagnosis, treatment, medication and how it affects work such as concentration, record keeping and driving. Adjustments in the assessments are available for conditions affecting concentration or processing.
- Autism. Not named either. The College's adjustments guide covers neurodiverse conditions, and the national recruitment site says neurodivergent applicants are welcome. Occupational health assesses how it affects you in the role, with adjustments considered.
- Dyslexia, dyspraxia and similar. Commonly supported through assessment adjustments, such as extra time and assistive software for reading and writing tasks.
- Anxiety and depression. Listed as "likely to require further information, investigation and assessment". Current health, treatment, stability and how a condition might interact with the demands of the role are what an assessment usually explores.
- Past episodes. The standards are about fitness now and for a reasonable time. A resolved episode is part of your history to declare, not a bar in itself.
If adjustments are part of your plan, it helps to know the assessment format well. Our free OAC readiness check shows which parts of the online assessment process to practise, and the recruitment timeline planner helps you allow time for an adjustment request and medical evidence.
Disability and the Equality Act 2010
Section 42 of the Equality Act 2010 treats holding the office of constable as employment by the chief officer, so the employment protections apply to police recruitment.
- Disability (section 6). A physical or mental impairment with a substantial and long-term adverse effect on normal day-to-day activities.
- Long-term (Schedule 1, paragraph 2). It has lasted, or is likely to last, at least 12 months or the rest of your life. An effect that stops but is likely to recur is treated as continuing.
- Treatment ignored (Schedule 1, paragraph 5). If treatment, such as medication, controls the effect, the impairment is judged as it would be without the treatment.
- Reasonable adjustments (section 20). The force must take reasonable steps to avoid a substantial disadvantage, in the recruitment process and the job.
- Health questions before an offer (section 60). Not allowed, except for listed purposes, including establishing whether you need adjustments for an assessment and whether you can carry out a function intrinsic to the work.
Not every neurodivergent or mental health condition will meet the definition for every person; it depends on the effect on you. The College's guidance says that if you are not sure whether your condition counts, ask your recruiting force.
Reasonable adjustments and accommodations in the assessments
The College of Policing's guide (updated 25 August 2026) covers the national sift, the online assessment process, the in-force interview and additional approved assessments, for police constable, special constable, PCSO and detective degree holder candidates. It separates two things:
Examples the College gives:
- Extra time in the online assessment process for conditions affecting reading speed, processing or working memory.
- Breaks for anxiety or conditions affecting concentration. The national sift can be paused and resumed up to ten times within its seven-day window; in the online assessment process you can take breaks between exercises, but must finish an exercise once started.
- Assistive software: your own text-to-speech or speech-to-text software without needing permission, and the Recite Me toolbar for all candidates in the online assessment process.
- Extra preparation or response time in the in-force interview, arranged with the force.
Extra time options in the online assessment process
The College lists six extra time adjustments. The national sift is untimed (roughly 50 minutes: about 20 minutes for the situational judgement test and 30 for the behavioural styles questionnaire), so no extra time is given there.
| Adjustment | Competency-based interview (approx. total) | Written exercise (approx.) | Briefing exercise (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15% extra time | 42 minutes | 46 minutes | 70 minutes |
| 25% extra time | 44 minutes | 50 minutes | 72 minutes |
| 30% extra time | 44 minutes | 52 minutes | 74 minutes |
| 33% extra time | 45 minutes | 53 minutes | 75 minutes |
Figures are the College's approximate completion times for each exercise including the extra time. The 40% and 50% options are also available; their timings are in the College's guide. The College says the written exercise has a two-hour limit for all candidates, and that exercise instructions are untimed. Check the guide for the version current when you sit, as timings can change.
How to request an adjustment, step by step
- Tell the force in your application. The College says to inform your chosen force if you may be disadvantaged by a disability, pregnancy or condition.
- Complete the force's request form. The force provides a reasonable adjustment and accommodation request form.
- Send supporting information. The College says the most reliable is an assessment by a professional specialist with clear recommendations, usually a formal report. If you do not have one, the College's policy explains what to do.
- You do not need to know the answer. The College says you do not need to know exactly which adjustment you need, and encourages you to apply even if unsure.
- Agree the adjustment. Sign the candidate agreement form, or a disclaimer if you decide not to use it.
- Raise problems before you sit. You can ask for a review if you think the policy was not applied correctly, through your force, before the assessment. The College says candidates cannot appeal on adjustment grounds after an unsuccessful result.
- Ask again for each stage. Adjustments are considered per assessment; support for one may differ for another.
The medical, vetting and what to declare
After the assessments, the national recruitment site says most forces want a health questionnaire signed by your GP covering current and past physical and mental health. Occupational health may ask your GP or specialist for more information. Answer fully: occupational health can only consider adjustments for conditions it knows about.
On vetting, the College of Policing vetting APP (May 2025, paragraph 6.5.17) says neither police officers nor force vetting managers are qualified to assess medical conditions, including mental health. Medical information that emerges during vetting and could affect suitability must go to the force medical officer or occupational health for professional assessment, and no personal medical information should be passed to the vetting unit without your consent. It also says that if expected medical information has not been declared, the matter goes back to the vetting unit as a potential integrity concern.
Questions worth asking the force: which provider does the medical; what evidence it will want about your condition; whether adjustments are available in training; and how information is shared between occupational health and the recruitment team.
Support networks and where to get help
- Your GP or specialist for advice on your condition and the evidence you might need.
- The force recruitment team for the process and adjustments; the College contact for the assessments is listed in its guide.
- National Police Autism Association, which describes itself as a privately-run group of UK officers and staff supporting colleagues affected by autism and other neurodivergent conditions such as dyslexia, dyspraxia and ADHD.
- Disabled Police Association, which the national recruitment site names as a source of support for officers with a disability experiencing discrimination.
- Samaritans and NHS 111 if you are struggling, at any point in the process (see the box above and below).
Myths about mental health, neurodiversity and joining
- "Any mental health history means you cannot join." Depression and anxiety are listed as needing further assessment, and every case is assessed individually.
- "ADHD or autism is an automatic bar." Neither is named in the regulations or the standards; we found no rule barring them.
- "Asking for adjustments counts against you." The College's process exists so candidates are not disadvantaged, and asks forces to support requests.
- "You can appeal after failing if your adjustment was wrong." The College says you cannot appeal on adjustment grounds after an unsuccessful result; raise it before you sit.
- "The vetting unit sees your medical records." The vetting APP says medical information goes to occupational health, and personal medical information should not go to vetting without consent.
- "Leave it off the form and it will not matter." Undeclared expected medical information can be treated as an integrity concern.
What we could not verify
- How each force's occupational health provider currently assesses ADHD, autism or specific mental health conditions. The national standard dates from 2004 and does not name them.
- Whether any force treats ADHD or autism as a "disorder first diagnosed in childhood or adolescence" under the 2004 headings.
- What adjustments are available during training after appointment, which is a force matter.
- Any national figures on how many candidates with these conditions are appointed. We found none and do not publish estimates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you join the police with ADHD?
We found no rule that bars people with ADHD. Home Office medical standards say no one should be excluded automatically because of a medical condition or disability, and each case is assessed individually by the force's occupational health team. The College of Policing offers reasonable adjustments in the online assessments for neurodiverse conditions.
Can you join the police if you are autistic?
Yes, autism is not a bar in any regulation or national guidance we read. Assessment is individual. The College of Policing's adjustments guide covers neurodiverse conditions, and the National Police Autism Association describes itself as supporting police officers and staff affected by autism and other neurodivergent conditions.
Can you join the police with dyslexia?
Yes. Dyslexia is not a bar. The College of Policing's adjustments guide gives examples of extra time for conditions affecting reading speed or processing, from 15% to 50% in the online assessment process, plus assistive software such as text-to-speech and speech-to-text.
Can you join the police with anxiety or depression?
Often, yes. The 2004 Home Office recommended standards list depression and anxiety disorders as likely to require further information, investigation and assessment, not as unsuitable. Occupational health looks at your current health, treatment and how it would affect the role. Declare your history honestly.
Can you join the police if you have had mental health problems in the past?
A past episode is not a bar in itself. The Home Office standards reflect fitness at the time of assessment and for a reasonable time, and every case is assessed individually. Expect occupational health to ask about the episode, treatment, recovery and current health, possibly with a report from your GP.
Can you join the police on antidepressants or ADHD medication?
We found no national rule barring candidates on medication. Occupational health considers the condition, the treatment and any side-effects relevant to the role. Under the Equality Act a condition controlled by treatment can still be a disability, because its effect is judged as it would be without treatment.
Can I get extra time in the police assessment for dyslexia or ADHD?
Yes, if your force agrees it as a reasonable adjustment. The College of Policing says options for the online assessment process range from 15% to 50% extra time. The national sift is untimed, so no extra time is given there. You request adjustments through your force, with supporting information.
Do I need a diagnosis to get reasonable adjustments?
The College says the most effective supporting information is an assessment by a professional specialist, usually a formal report. You do not need to know exactly which adjustment you need, and you are encouraged to apply if unsure. Accommodations for conditions that are not a disability can often be used without approval.
Will mental health affect police vetting?
The College of Policing vetting APP says neither officers nor vetting managers are qualified to assess medical conditions, including mental health. Relevant medical information goes to the force medical officer or occupational health, and no personal medical information should go to the vetting unit without your consent. Undeclared expected medical information can be treated as an integrity concern.
Is ADHD, autism or depression a disability under the Equality Act?
It can be. Under section 6 a mental impairment is a disability if it has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on normal day-to-day activities. Long-term means it has lasted or is likely to last 12 months, and an effect that is likely to recur counts. Treatment is ignored when judging the effect.
Can I appeal if my reasonable adjustment request is refused?
The College says that if you believe its policy was not applied correctly you can request a review through your force before the assessment. It also says candidates cannot appeal on the grounds of the adjustments offered after being unsuccessful, so raise concerns before you sit the assessment.
Sources and how we checked them
Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 1 October 2026. Rules and figures change, so check the source for the date you are reading this. Where we could not confirm something from an official or independent source, the page says so rather than guessing. Spotted something out of date? See our corrections policy.
- Police Regulations 2003 (SI 2003/527), regulation 10(1)(d), latest revised text — certified fit, physically and mentally, for the duties (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Home Office Circular 59/2004: National recruitment standards, medical standards for police recruitment — no automatic exclusion; individual assessment; indicative categories; questionnaire after assessment (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Home Office: Recommended Medical Standards (attachment to Circular 59/2004), mental and psychiatric health section — the categories quoted for mood, anxiety, childhood-onset and other disorders (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Reasonable adjustments and accommodations guide for online assessments candidates (updated 25 August 2026) — neurodiverse conditions; how to request; supporting information; extra time bands; assistive software; review and appeal limits (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Online assessments candidate guide (updated 21 July 2026) — timings may vary with a timings-related adjustment; Recite Me toolbar for all (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Equality Act 2010, sections 6, 20, 42 and 60, and Schedule 1 paragraphs 2 and 5 — disability definition; long-term and recurring effects; treatment disregarded; adjustments; health questions before offer; constables (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Vetting authorised professional practice (May 2025), paragraph 6.5.17 — medical information goes to the force medical officer or occupational health; consent; undeclared information (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Joining the Police: Common questions (diversity and inclusion) and Am I eligible to apply? — disabled and neurodivergent applicants welcome; some conditions prevent operational service; declare conditions at the relevant stage (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Joining the Police: What's involved in the medical assessment? — GP-signed questionnaire covering physical and mental health history (accessed 1 October 2026)
- National Police Autism Association — describes itself as a privately-run group of officers and staff supporting colleagues affected by autism and other neurodivergent conditions (accessed 1 October 2026)
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Disclaimer
PolicePay.co.uk is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with the College of Policing, the Home Office or any police force, and it does not recruit, vet or assess applicants. Recruitment standards, assessment formats and vetting decisions are set by the College of Policing and each force and change from time to time: check the force you are applying to before relying on anything here. Details apply to England and Wales unless stated. Details are as checked on 1 October 2026.