Access and facilities for disabled people

When a person is considered disabled

Under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, a person is considered disabled if he or she has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial, long-term and adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

View details of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 at the Stationery Office website. 

Impairments can be:

• physical, eg mobility impairments
• mental, eg learning disabilities and some mental illnesses if severe and long-term
• sensory, eg hearing impairments or visual impairments

Substantial means that the disability must be more than just normal differences in people's individual abilities.

Long-term means the impairment will last, or is likely to last:

• for at least 12 months
• for the rest of the life of that person

Normal day-to-day activities means activities that are carried out by most people on a regular basis.

Conditions that are not considered to be an impairment in law include:

• addiction to alcohol, cigarettes or other drugs - unless they have been prescribed by a doctor
• hay fever
• a tendency to start fires
• a tendency to steal
• a tendency to physically or sexually abuse other people
• exhibitionism
• voyeurism

Subjects covered in this guide

• Introduction
• When a person is considered disabled
• Change practices to give disabled people equal access
• Provide extra aids or services so disabled people can access your goods or services
• Overcome physical barriers to access
• Improve access to and use of your facilities for disabled employees
• What to consider before making an adjustment for disabled employees
• Make significant changes to your premises
• Make significant changes to premises you rent
• Here's how ensuring accessibility for staff and customers has helped our business

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