Dyslexia in adults

Find out more about dyslexia in adults, including symptoms, how to get a diagnosis, and what support may be available for you.

Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty where your brain works differently to most people. It mainly affects things like reading, writing and using numbers. There is no cure but there are things you can do to help manage the condition.

There is separate information about dyslexia in children.

Dyslexia mainly affects your reading and writing. It can also affect things like using numbers or planning.

Signs that you may have dyslexia include:

  • you often spell words wrong
  • you confuse words that look similar, like bell and belt
  • you may need to read something several times before it makes sense
  • you feel tired if you do a lot of reading and writing
  • you find it difficult to tell left from right
  • you find it hard to plan things or manage your time
  • you forget things like dates or people's names
  • you get confused if you're asked to follow more than one instruction at a time
  • you may be skilled in some areas but struggle with other tasks most people find easy to complete

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If you think you may have dyslexia, you can have a dyslexia diagnostic assessment.

A dyslexia assessment is not done by a medical doctor. It's usually done by an educational psychologist or a specialist in dyslexia. They'll look at your abilities around reading, writing and using numbers.

You can request an assessment from the British Dyslexia Association (BDA) or a private dyslexia assessment service.

Most people need to pay for a dyslexia diagnostic assessment.

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You may be able to get support for your dyslexia if you're working or you're at college, university or on an apprenticeship.

Talk to a teacher or learning support officer (LSO) about what support your college, apprenticeship or university can offer you.

If you've had a dyslexia diagnostic assessment, you may be able to apply for financial support, such as disabled students' allowance.

If you work, it's recommended you tell your employer about your dyslexia. This is so they can make any changes to support you at work, like providing screenreaders or offering information on video.

You may be able to apply for an access to work grant to buy things that help with your dyslexia.

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The British Dyslexia Association is a leading charity for people with dyslexia.

There are also many local voluntary organisations that offer support for people with dyslexia that can be found by searching online.