Disability Discrimination Act
Are you encouraging disabled customers?
Can disabled people use your business or services?
Are you compliant for the new legal duties, which came in 2004?
Service providers already have a duty to make changes to the way they provide their services to disabled people, from October 2004 these duties became much more wide ranging.
Businesses and service providers need to ensure that they not only meet their legal duties but also don't ignore all those disabled people who are potential customers.
Introduction
If you provide a service to disabled people you have duties to them under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). You already may have had to make changes to the way you deliver your service if it is difficult for disabled people to use.
The duties have been introduced in three changes:
- Since December 1996 it has been unlawful for you to treat disabled people less favourably for a reason related to their disability.
- Since October 1999 you have had to make “reasonable adjustments” for disabled people, such as providing extra help or making changes to the way you deliver services.
- From October 2004 you may have to make other "reasonable adjustments" to the physical features of your premises to overcome barriers to access.
Accessibility and DDA Audits
The UK Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) came into effect in December 1996 and brought in measures to prevent discrimination against disabled people. Under part III of the act, where a service provider offers services to the public, it has a legal duty to take reasonable steps to make these services available to disabled people. From 1st October 2004, they will have to ensure that the physical features of their premises work for disabled people.
Our accessibility audit can help you identify barriers and hazards to access for people with disabilities may need to be changed. We will also provide pragmatic, cost-effective recommendations for any problem areas identified. As discussed in the act, these include:
- Altering a physical feature
- Avoiding a physical feature
- Removing a physical feature
- Or providing the service by an alternative means
Benefits
- Helps ensure compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act
- Quick and low cost-expert assessment can take as little as one day
- Our illustrated audit reports provide compelling evidence of the accessibility issues identified
- Major issues in new buildings can be identified early in design before modifications become expensive
- Disabled people who cannot access your service represent a lost business opportunity and possible adverse publicity, ensure you keep, or win their business
- Easy access benefits others too-people with prams, small children or shopping trolleys
- Easy access shows you care- it improves your image to both able and disabled people
Our Approach
- Structured accessibility checklists based on DDA, Building Regulations, Industry best practice and British Standards
- Experienced assessors- familiar with a range of disabilities and access problems and in identifying the most practical and cost effective ways of meeting both your legal obligations and your business needs
- Clear and straightforward results presented in an easy to use format
- Practical recommendations- we will continue to work with you to implement our recommendations if you wish