Stress & Mental Health Adjustment Letter: Free Template and What to Include

If you need to request workplace adjustments for work-related stress or mental health under employer duty of care, a written letter is the recommended first step — it creates a clear record and shows you're pursuing the matter formally. Below is what a strong stress & mental health adjustment should include.

What this letter needs to cover

• Confirm the impact of stress or mental health on work
• Reference the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 stress risk assessment duty and the Equality Act 2010 reasonable adjustments duty if the condition amounts to a disability
• Set out the specific adjustments requested
• Request a stress risk assessment

Your employer's duty of care around work-related stress

Employers have a legal duty of care to protect employees' health, including mental health — this means genuinely assessing and addressing causes of work-related stress, not simply expecting employees to cope. If your workload, working hours, or workplace relationships are causing significant stress, you're entitled to raise this formally and request adjustments.

What to include before you send it

• A clear, honest description of the stress you're experiencing and its likely causes
• How this is affecting your work and wellbeing
• Specific adjustments you believe would help — reduced workload, changed deadlines, or additional support
• A request for this to be discussed and addressed formally

Why documenting this matters, even informally at first

A written record of raising work-related stress creates an important reference point — if things don't improve and your health is affected further, this letter demonstrates that your employer was made aware and had an opportunity to act.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a doctor's diagnosis before raising this?
No — you can raise workplace stress concerns without a formal diagnosis, though medical evidence can strengthen your case if the situation escalates or specific adjustments are needed.

Could stress-related adjustments fall under disability discrimination law?
If stress develops into a diagnosed mental health condition that has a substantial, long-term effect on your daily life, this could meet the definition of disability under the Equality Act 2010, bringing additional legal protections.

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Postcode]
[Name of Manager / HR Contact]
[Company Name]
[Company Address]
[Company Postcode]
[Date]

Dear [Name],

Subject: Work-related stress – request for a stress risk assessment and adjustments

I am experiencing significant work-related stress, and it is affecting my mental health and my work. [e.g. I am struggling to sleep and finding it hard to concentrate.]

Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 [Northern Ireland: the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000], employers must assess risks to health, including stress, and act on them.

[Optional: My condition is long-term and has a substantial effect on my day-to-day life, so it may be a disability under the Equality Act 2010 (Northern Ireland: the Disability Discrimination Act 1995). If so, you must also make reasonable adjustments.]

The main causes:
• [e.g. an unmanageable workload since the team was reduced]
• [e.g. unclear deadlines]

Adjustments I am asking for:
• [e.g. a review and reduction of my targets]
• [e.g. a weekly meeting with my manager to set priorities]

Please carry out a stress risk assessment and meet me as soon as possible to discuss these.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Signature]
[Your Printed Name]