Question 1

Is bipolar a disability?

Accepted Answer

A disability is defined under the Equality Act as:

A ‘physical or mental impairment’ which has a ‘substantial and long-term adverse effect’ on an individual’s ‘ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities’.

Bipolar will be considered a disability under the Act if it satisfies this definition, which is sometimes different to common perceptions of disability.

Find more information about how the Equality Act can help and support you in our Employees' guide to bipolar and employment

Question 2

What do I need when returning to work after bipolar illness?

Accepted Answer

A checklist of what to think about when preparing to return to work:

Talk to your manager about a phased to work and build in a midway review point.
If your employer knows about your diagnosis
- share and copy of the Bipolar UK Employers Guide with your manager.
If your employer does not know about your diagnosis
- think about if now is the time - see the Bipolar UK Employees Guide for help.
Make sure you take in any sick notes, not previously handed in, so that sick pay is not affected.
Think about your journey to work and plan for back ups.
If you have children. or caring responsibilities, are these affected?
Check that your next of kin information is up to date with your employer.
Ask about any employee assistance programmes to support your return to work.
Consider if a temporary adjustment would help you.
You can ask for an Occupational Health assessment on return, if you have had this in the past.
Or ask for a Occupational Health assessment to develop any reasonable adjustments you might need.
- details of how to identify what reasonable adjustments you can request are in the Bipolar UK Employees Guide (p.13)

Question 3

Employer's Guide to Bipolar

Accepted Answer

A guide to best practice for employers on supporting employees with bipolar.

Find appropriate management techniques and practical work-based strategies to support an employee, enabling them to continue contributing to your organisation's success.

if you are interested in training from us to support bipolar employees, please contact us by email

Bipolar UK - Employer

Download this booklet as a PDF

Visit our Work and Learning pages

Question 4

Employee's guide to bipolar

Accepted Answer

A guide to managing a successful return to work and your rights at work.

If you have bipolar and you are finding it hard either to get work, or to do your work when you're there, you're not alone.

Download this booklet as a PDF

Question 5

Agreed Reasonable Adjustments Form

Accepted Answer

How to apply for reasonable adjustments at work

The form below is designed to be used with our Employee's Guide to Bipolar and our Employer's Guide to Bipolar

If you live with bipolar the provisions of the Equality Act (2010) apply and you are entitled to ask for reasonable adjustments at work to support you and help you stay well. Everybody's adjustments will vary but this form and our guides offer a template to help your write out what you would like.

Bipolar UK - Reasonable Adjustments Form

Download this form as a PDF

Question 6

Armed Forces

Accepted Answer

Combat Stress
Provide timely, effective clinical treatment and welfare support to Veterans who suffer from psychological wounds.

SSAFA
Works in partnership with other military charities and specialist organisations to ensure that those who need help get the support they need.

The Royal British Legion
Provides lifelong support for the Armed Forces community - serving men and women, veterans, and their families.

The Army Families Federation
AFF is the voice of the Army family. It empowers, acts as an advocate and an expert witness to promote a quality of life, which reflects the Armed Forces Covenant.

Veterans Outreach Support (VOS)
It is a unique meld of public, private and charity sectors offering one-stop assistance, including legal, housing, financial, employment help and mental health support.

Veterans-Aid
Organisation providing immediate practical support, as well as longer term counselling, rehabilitation and medical treatment.

ABF The Soldiers’ Charity
Support for soldiers and former soldiers from the British Army, and their immediate families, when they are in need.

Question 7

debt & benefits advice links

Accepted Answer

PayPlan

They are a free debt advice provider and offer expert advice around debt management to help you make a plan to get your debts and payments under control. If you would like to speak with one of their advisors, email bipolaruk@payplan.com or click here.

Department for Work and Pensions
This is a useful resource giving information about options for claiming benefits for both people with disabilities and their carers. It also provides instructions about how to go about claiming.

Citizens Advice
Free, independent, confidential and impartial advice to everyone on their rights and responsibilities.

Turn2Us
A national charity that helps people in financial hardship to gain access to welfare benefits, charitable grants and support services.

Advice Now
Information on the law and your rights regarding benefits and employment.

Healthy Start

A government based initiative that helps pregnant women on benefits or under the age of 18, and families with young children on benefits, get free vouchers every week to spend on milk, plain fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables, and infant formula milk. You can also get free vitamins.

Question 8

Should I tell my employer, line manager or work colleagues?

Accepted Answer

Telling your manager and work colleagues about your illness is a personal decision, but you have to ensure you remain within the law and your contract of employment.

If, for example, your employer specifically asks about any illnesses then you should disclose if you have a diagnosis of bipolar.

Bipolar is covered by the Equality Act (2010) which allows you to ask for reasonable adjustments in the work place that help support any disadvantage you might be experiencing. If you do not tell your manager, you cannot expect your employer to make reasonable adjustments.

Download our guides

Bipolar UK produces two employment guides for employees and employers which can be downloaded for free

What reasonable adjustments can I ask for?

When considering reasonable adjustments to ask for you need to think about what triggers an episode of bipolar in the work place and how you and your company might consider changing that particular situation to avoid an episode.

The adjustments need to take away the disadvantage you are facing and be of benefit to you. Our employment guides provide useful advice in this regard.