The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) gives disabled people important rights of access to everyday services.

These include services provided by local councils, surgeries, schools, hotels, banks, bars, theatres, hairdressers, places of worship, courts and voluntary groups such as play groups. Non-educational services provided by schools are also included.
Access to services is not just about installing ramps and widening doorways for wheelchair users - it is about making services easier to use for all disabled people, including people who are blind, deaf or have a learning disability. 

Failure to make reasonable adjustments without justification is discrimination
under the DDA, it is unlawful for service providers to treat disabled people less favourably than other people for a reason related to their disability. Service providers  businesses now have to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to the way they deliver their services and make allowances for access into and throughout all public and in private areas alike so the disabled can use them.
Examples of reasonable adjustments include:

• putting in a ramp at the entrance to a building instead of, or as well as, steps or widening doorways for wheelchair access.

What is considered a ‘reasonable adjustment’ for a large organisation like a bank may be different to a reasonable adjustment for a small local shop or business. It’s about what is practical in the service provider’s individual situation and what resources the business may have. They will not be required to make changes which are impractical or beyond their means.
Failure or refusal to provide a service that is offered to other people to a disabled person is discrimination unless it can be justified. We at Criteria Workspace offer a service to advise, design and obtain full planning approval on your behalf. This ensures that all refurbishment / refit works carried out comply with the current government regulations.