Disabled Access Information
- Disability Discrimination Act leaflet
- Disability Discrimination Act - Frequently Asked Questions
- Designing for accessibility - good practice guide (PDF)
- Ten reasons for taking responsibilities under DDA act 1995 seriously
The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) makes it unlawful for service providers to treat disabled people less favourably than they would treat other people for reasons related to their disability, when offering or providing goods, facilities or services.
Compliance would mean easy access into a building and movement around and within buildings, particularly shops and places of entertainment.
Service providers are obliged to make permanent alterations to the physical fabric of premises, fixtures, fittings, finishes, furniture, equipment or materials when providing an auxiliary aid, this requirement of the DDA took effect from 1st October 2004.
If you do not own the building from which the service is provided, you should negotiate with your landlord.
Whenever a service provider is planning and executing building or refurbishment work, such as extending premises or making some alterations to an existing building, it is worth considering the removal or alteration of any physical features that create a barrier to access by people with disabilities, or the provision of a reasonable means of avoiding the physical feature, even though the law does not yet require this.
Further information can be obtained by reference to BS8300 (published by the British Standards Institution) or from the Disability Rights Commission calling 08457 622 633 or visiting the following websites:
- Department for Work and Pensions: Disability
- Disability Rights Commission
- Achieving Access for All
- Employers' Forum on Disability
- National Register of Access Consultants
The key outcome of the DDA is an increased level of participation by disabled people in all types of economic, political, social and recreational activities.
