Emotional support animals at work in the UK
Whether you can bring an emotional support animal to work, what the reasonable adjustments duty covers, and how to ask.
The short answer. There is no right to bring an emotional support animal to work in the UK. If you are disabled, you can ask your employer to allow it as a reasonable adjustment under the Equality Act 2010, and they must consider whether that step is reasonable. No official employment guidance mentions emotional support animals, so it is decided case by case.
Is there a right to an emotional support animal at work?
No. Emotional support animals are not defined in the Equality Act 2010, and no employment law gives a right to bring one to work. What the law does give disabled workers is the right to ask for reasonable adjustments.
The duty to make reasonable adjustments applies to employers. One of its three requirements is that where a provision, criterion or practice puts a disabled person at a substantial disadvantage, the employer must take such steps as it is reasonable to have to take to avoid it. A “no animals at work” rule could be a practice of that kind. Whether allowing your animal is a reasonable step depends on the job, the workplace, other people, and the evidence.
What the official guidance says, and does not
We read the EHRC’s Employment Code of Practice, its guidance for employers, Acas and GOV.UK on reasonable adjustments. None of them mentions emotional support animals. Where animals come up at all, the example is an assistance dog: Acas describes an organisation that does not allow dogs at work making a reasonable adjustment for someone with an assistance dog, and says that what is reasonable depends on each situation.
So be realistic. An employer is not wrong just because it says no, and it is not required to treat an emotional support animal like an assistance dog. If you disagree about what is reasonable, the EHRC says that in the end only an employment tribunal can decide. How emotional support animals differ from assistance dogs · the Equality Act definition of disability · UK law by setting.
How to ask your employer
- Put it in writing. Say what you are asking for (for example, your dog in the office on set days) and why.
- Explain the disadvantage. The duty only applies if your employer knows, or could reasonably be expected to know, that you are disabled and likely to be at a disadvantage.
- Offer evidence. A letter from a doctor confirming that the animal supports your mental health shows the request is grounded in your health.
- Address the practical questions. Other staff’s allergies, where the animal will be, who looks after it. A request that answers these is easier to agree to.
Our doctor’s letter costs £49 and is valid for 12 months. It supports the request. It does not decide it.
Common questions
Can I bring my emotional support animal to work?
Only if your employer agrees. There is no right to bring one. If you are disabled, you can ask for it as a reasonable adjustment, and your employer has to consider whether it is reasonable in your circumstances.
Does my employer have to allow my emotional support dog?
Not automatically. The Equality Act 2010 duty is to take such steps as it is reasonable to have to take. Whether allowing an animal is reasonable depends on the facts. If you disagree, the EHRC says only an employment tribunal can decide.
Do I have to tell my employer about my condition?
The duty to make reasonable adjustments only applies if your employer knows, or could reasonably be expected to know, that you are disabled and at a disadvantage. So to ask for an adjustment, you will usually need to explain why.
What about university?
Universities have their own policies for accommodation, and they vary. ESA letters for university.
Sources. The legal and clinical facts on this page were checked against these primary sources on 25 September 2026. Law and landlord, university and airline policies change, so check the source before you rely on it.
Evidence for your request
A GMC-registered UK doctor reviews your request online and, where appropriate, writes a letter confirming your animal supports your mental health. £49.
Start your requestReviewed by a GMC-registered doctor. Full refund if a letter cannot be issued on clinical grounds.