The DDA aims for equality

This legislation aims to end the discrimination many disabled people face every day of their lives.

The DDA defines a disabled person as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

Schedule 1 to the DDA 1995 includes a list of impairments to be taken into account. They include mobility, manual dexterity, speech, hearing and eyesight and severe disfigurement. The DDA 2005 makes the point people with HIV, cancer and multiple sclerosis are included.

These equality regulations can be a difficult topic

The businessman focussed on successfully running his enterprise within the law can find this subject daunting. AccessOK is here to help.

INTRODUCTION TO THE DDA

The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)

This legislation came into full force on October 2004 and was extended in 2005. You'll find the original 1995 Act here and the subsequent 2005 Act here.

This Act, clarified by associated regulations, standards and advisory documents, requires service providers to make "reasonable adjustments" to physical features which make it unreasonably difficult for disabled people to use their services.

Physical features for enhancement include steps, paths, paving, parking, entrances and exits (including emergency escape routes), internal and external doors, toilet and washing facilities, public telephones, lighting, lifts and exterior facilities such as seating in a pub garden or fixed signs on a shop.