Can I request to work from abroad as an adjustment?

The Short Answer

Almost certainly no. Working from another country (e.g. “I want to work from Spain due to the warmer climate for my arthritis”) creates massive legal headaches that are usually deemed “unreasonable”.

The Problems

1. Tax: If you work in Spain, you (and your employer) may become liable for Spanish tax and social security.
2. Data Protection (GDPR): Moving data outside the UK/EU can breach privacy laws.
3. Employment Rights: You might gain local employment rights (e.g. Spanish holidays), conflicting with your UK contract.

Exceptions

• Short Trips: Some employers allow “work from anywhere” for 2 weeks a year.
• Global Companies: If your company already has an office/entity in that country, they might be able to transfer you.
• Warmer Climate: If you need warmth for health (e.g. severe Raynaud’s), a more reasonable adjustment is heating controls in the UK office or WFH with heating allowance.