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 not presently obliged to do anything that entails making a permanent alteration to the physical fabric of premises, fixtures, fittings, finishes, furniture, equipment or materials when providing an auxiliary aid.
That requirement of the DDA will take effect from 1st October 2004. However, the Act does not prevent service providers from taking the requirements of the 2004 provisions into account before then, indeed it might be more effective and economical to adopt such an approach.
If you do not own the building from which the service is provided, you should allow time to negotiate with your landlord.
Service providers may wish to take steps to comply with these new duties in relation to physical features before they come into force in 2004 (including providing an auxiliary aid which involves an alteration to the physical fabric of the building).
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
Employers of fewer than 15 people, and other employers within the prison, emergency services or transport sector who are currently exempted from compliance with Part 2 of the Act should realise that they will become subject to its provisions from 1st October 2004.
The key outcome should be an increased level of participation by disabled people in all types of economic, political, social and recreational activities.
