The Background
From October 2004 companies and organisations that provide services to the public have been required by the Disability Discrimination Act (now part of the Equality Act 2010) to ensure that those services are reasonably accessible to disabled people.
Under the Equality Act 2010 (EA), if you provide goods or services to the general public – whether paid for or free-of-charge – you are a ‘service provider’ and you have responsibilities under the Act. The popular perception that people with disabilities always use wheelchairs is inaccurate. Please see the list of further disabilities below.
The popular perception that people with disabilities always use wheelchairs is inaccurate. Please see the list of further disabilities below:
• Sight impairments
• Hearing impairments
• Physical / mobility impairments
• Learning disabilities
• Mental Ill health
Where a physical feature makes it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled customers to make use of a service offered to the public, service providers have an obligation to take measures, where reasonable, to:
· remove the feature, or
· alter it so that it no longer has that effect, or
· provide a reasonable means of avoiding the feature, or
· provide a reasonable alternative method of making the service available to disabled people.
The principle is that – as far as possible – disabled customers should be able to obtain goods and receive services in just the same way as other customers who are not disabled. This means that all customers receive as near to equal service as possible, and occasions where some customers feel that they are being treated differently are reduced to a minimum.
The Starting Point
There is a very strong business case for complying with the above. Adjustments made under the EA will also benefit other sectors of the public. If customers with disabilities find your services easy to use, they are likely to return on a regular basis and spread the word!
Instructing AccessForAll to carry out an Access Audit on your behalf is the start point to ensuring that your business is as ‘disabled friendly’ as possible.
To find out how we can help you, call us now on 0800 246 1759