Driving and Epilepsy
This information applies to people in the UK only. If you live outside the UK, then more information about epilepsy and employment where you are will be available from your local epilepsy organisation.
As many people with epilepsy are seizure free, they may well hold a driving licence. The current driving regulations state that a person can apply for a driving licence when they have been completely free of seizures for one year or have had a pattern of sleep seizures only for three years.
When you are advertising a vacancy where travel is needed, to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act, you cannot stipulate ‘driving licence essential’ unless there is no other way the job could be done. For example, if someone with epilepsy may occasionally have to travel to different locations for their work, as a ‘reasonable adjustment’ they could use public transport or taxis.
Common sense is needed though, because if the vacancy was for a taxi driver or bus driver, then that clearly could not be done by a person without a driving licence, so of course you could state that a driving licence is ‘essential’ without being in breach of the Disability Discrimination Act.
As an example of reasonable adjustment, we have heard of district nurses who have developed epilepsy taking on work in the surgery rather than the community, social workers who have used public transport or taxis to reach their clients and a headmaster who worked 30 miles from home being provided with taxis to and from work through the Access to Work scheme. The Disability Employment Adviser at the Jobcentre Plus can advise you about this scheme.
See also
Last updated 2 May 2007
Epilepsy Helpline
- UK freephone 0808 800 5050
- International +44 113 210 8850
- Email: helpline@epilepsy.org.uk
- Txt msg: 07797 805 390 info
- Live online: Tuesdays and Thursdays 1230-1330 UK time
Twitter Updates
Epilepsy Action blog
Comments
Please could you help - I suffered a seizure 4 years ago and had to give my licence up and then waited 12 months before it was returned to me. I then was told that the medication I was on I could stop which I did. Anyway, after being seizure free for four years on 7th November 2008 I had a series of 3 seizures (these occur at night only) I was taken to hospital and sent home that day - I am on Epilim 300 twice a day - my question is that I am a Representative for my company which takes me all over the East Anglian area selling - my company cannot afford a driver - I am still waiting for a brain scan which I know after the last time was fine and I am still waiting for my doctor to return the form that the DVLA sent to him about month ago - I am very angry with the way I am being treated as my job is on the line and if they do not get a response very soon I know I will lose my job and end up being another statistic on the dole queue because the doctor and the hospital cannot be bothered to move things forward, You are right that people do not see Epilepsy as a top priority and I believe that things now should be changed. I am 48 years of age now and feel that more could be done - does anyone have an answer for me.
Thank you
Dear Debbie,
I am sorry to hear things have been so difficult. Certainly if a doctor is discussing stoppping medication they should make it clear there is always some risk of seizures starting again. I am afraid if you have had more seizures, that you will lose your license for 12 months again. I know that is the last thing you want to hear, but obviously it is a precaution against anyone coming to harm.
We have quite a large amount of information about employment on our website. You may be particularly interested in the Access to Work scheme, which may be able to find a solution to your transport problem at work. You could also draw your employer's attention to the Disability Discrimination Act, which covers people with epilepsy.
If we can be of any more help, please feel free to contact us again, either by email or the Epilepsy Helpline freephone 0808 800 5050.
Cherry, at the Epilepsy Action helpline team
Wow........this has just happened to me for a second time! I worked as a Sales Rep, also in East Anglia, and suffered a Tonic Clonic seizure, despite being on Lamotrigine (2 x 50mg per day). When this happened in April 2008 I had very limited savings so paid a driver £200 per week to drive me 4 days per week.
Since then, and regaining my license, I have moved to Glasgow to cover the Scotland region and was nearly home on Thursday 10 December 2009 and the next thing I knew I was coming to in an ambulance, with my car outside on it's roof! The Police lady could not believe I was still alive!
I now feel indescribably low and have been in tears for most of the weekend. All of my family and friends live in Leicestershire and I've not mentioned this as my Mother has just gone away for a week so I couldn't spoil that for her! In my brain I'm now totally uncertain about my future; how to pay bills etc. Regrettably I am no longer in a position to pay for my own driver as buying this new place has cost a lot and I live on my own.
It is not practical to work from my office in Buxton and am desperate for some good advice from someone who has been through this and knows the extreme pressures this puts on you.