ETBB Emphasis on Disability & Mental Health in Court Participation

The Equal Treatment Bench Book (ETBB), which offers guidance to judges, continues to emphasise the need for reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010, particularly for people with mental health conditions, cognitive impairments, or fluctuating vulnerabilities. Judicial commentary in late‑2024 and early‑2025 has repeatedly signalled this as an area of focus, including in judgments concerning participation rights and case management adjustments.

For individuals using layman support, the ETBB’s guidance gives clearer basis for making requests for adjustments (such as hearing breaks, accessible documents, support persons, or adjusted modes of submission), and for lay representatives to help articulate those needs in correspondence or pre‑hearing applications.