Mr M Allen v Represented by: Mr L Anderson , Solicitor Aegon UK Corporate Services Limited — 2025

At a preliminary hearing on 31 October 2025, the tribunal narrowed the live issues to two complaints of failure to make reasonable adjustments under section 20 Equality Act 2010. It recorded that earlier complaints were withdrawn and that there were no live complaints of direct discrimination, indirect discrimination or protected disclosure detriment. The claimant's disability status was not in dispute, arising from multiple sclerosis with symptoms including PoTS and coronary artery spasm.

On complaint no. 2, concerning training on Dragon software, the tribunal read the pleadings together and treated the relevant physical feature as the claimant's laptop computer. It identified the alleged disadvantage as difficulty reading and typing on the laptop without Dragon and training, and the proposed adjustment as provision of Dragon software and training. The tribunal noted contemporaneous material suggesting training materials were provided on 18 April 2024, that the claimant said on 21 May 2024 he was reviewing Dragon training, and that he said on 28 May 2024 he had learned as much as he needed to use Dragon. On that basis, it held the complaint was stateable and had more than a merely fanciful prospect of success, so strike out and deposit were refused.

On complaint no. 3, concerning seating closer to the toilets, the tribunal treated the relevant physical feature as the distance from the claimant's desk to the toilets. It identified the alleged disadvantage as difficulty reaching the toilets because of mobility issues, with toilet-related accidents, and the proposed adjustment as moving the claimant to a desk closer to the toilets. It again held that the complaint had more than a merely fanciful prospect of success, so the respondent's strike out, failing which deposit, application was refused for this complaint as well.