Disability Discrimination Act 1995

The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) was introduced to end the discrimination that many people face. Since 1995 the Act has been amended to introduce new rights and many of these rights have implications for the built environment. The impacts of these are constantly being monitored and are likely to be updated from time to time.

It is important to understand that the DDA is different to the Building Regulations in that it does not directly require accessible environments to be provided for disabled people. The rights are for access to employment and for access to goods, facilities and services, rather than to the building in which these are made available. There are a variety of ways in which employers and service providers can ensure they are not discriminating against disabled people and not all of these will entail a change to the physical environment. A ‘physical feature’ includes anything arising from a building’s design or construction of from an approach to, exit from or access to a building.

Building designers, whilst not legally required to respond to the DDA should anticipate its requirements and design buildings accordingly. Those commissioning new buildings or adaptations to existing buildings are well advised to consider the implications of the DDA in terms of their ability to employ or offer goods and services to disabled people on an equal basis.

Since 2004 it has been expected that service providers make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to the physical features of their premises to overcome physical barriers to access. Experience shows that the majority of adjustments which employers are likely to have to make would not relate to physical features.