Information
Disability Discrimination Act 1995, DDA
Under the DDA, service providers should take reasonable steps to supply auxiliary aids or services to enable disabled people to access that facility or service. Further information about the DDA.
The DDA defines a "service provider" as anyone providing a service to the general public:
- whether a public authority, private agency or an individual
- whether for payment or for free.
Thus "service providers" covered by the Act will include: banks, building societies, places of worship, public utilities, government departments, local councils, charities, hotels, restaurants, pubs, post offices, solicitors, accountants, sports stadiums, hairdressers, shops, courts, hospitals and clinics.
Auxiliary aids include the provision of material and information in large print, on audio-tape, mini disc, CD, computer disk, in Braille, tactile maps and plans, sequence pictures and accessible websites.
Failure to adhere to the Act could result in an action being taken in a County Court.
Key to the Act for service providers are the concepts that it is unlawful to discriminate against disabled people by:
- Refusing to provide a service without justification.
- Providing a service to a lesser standard without justification.
- Providing a service on worse terms without justification.
- Failing to make reasonable adjustments to the way services are provided for disabled people.