The Disability Discrimination Act
Download 'The Disability Discrimination Act' Handout
The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) came into law in 1995. It sets out a range of requirements which aim to prevent disabled people being treated less favourably because of their disability or reasons related to it.
A person is disabled under the DDA if:
“He or she 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.”
The DDA aims to end discrimination against disabled people. To do this it protects disabled people in:
- Employment
- Access to goods, facilities and services
- Management, buying or renting of property
- Education
- Access to public transport
Under the DDA it is unlawful to discriminate against disabled people during their employment or when they apply. Employers must also make reasonable adjustments where required, to make/keep jobs accessible (for example, by supplying different equipment, changing responsibilities or providing additional support).
The DDA also makes sure that businesses and organisations make reasonable adjustments to the way they provide their services and to their premises if physical barriers exist. It is also unlawful for these ‘service providers’ to treat disabled people less favourably than other people because of their disability or a reason related to it.
Similar rules for schools, colleges and universities also make sure that they do not discriminate and that they make reasonable adjustments to make all of their courses accessible. However, applicants must also be academically able to participate and achieve through the programme.
Connexions Personal Advisers can offer further information.
Although every effort has been made to ensure that this information was correct at the time of publication, contacts, telephone numbers and addresses are subject to change, which may make the information become gradually less accurate.