The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) aims to end the
discrimination which many disabled people face in their everyday
lives. The Act makes it unlawful for businesses and
organisations providing services to treat disabled people less
favourably than other people for a reason related to their
disability.
The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has responsibility for
the Disability Discrimination Act which was first introduced in
1995 and has since been significantly extended, particulary by the
Disability Discrimination Act 2005 and the Equalty Act 2006. It
gives disabled people rights in the areas of:
- Employment.
- Education.
- Access to goods, facilities and services.
- Buying or renting land or property, including making it easier
for disabled people to rent property and for tenants to make
disability-related adaptations.
Since 2004 service providers have had to make 'reasonable
adjustments' to remove ‘physical features’ which prevent access by
disabled people such as steps, narrow doors and gravel paths.
Follow this link for more
information about making 'reasonable
adjustments' (new window).
The Act now requires public bodies such as the Council to
promote equality of opportunity for disabled
people. It also allows the government to set minimum standards
so that disabled people can use public transport easily.
The Disability Discrimination Act applies to all employers and
everyone who provides a service to the public, except the Armed
Forces.
Useful links
DWP - The Disability Discrimination Act and you
(new window).
DWP - Better business checklist (new
window).
Disability Rights Commission website (new
window) - the Disability Rights Commission closed in September
2007 and was merged into the newly
formed Equality and Human Rights Commission (new
window) but the website is still available and has plenty of
information, including a brief overview with the key points of
the Act.
Directgov - information for disabled people (new
window).
Local contacts
Optua (local access group).
Tel: 01473 836777.
Fax: 01473 836778.
Textphone: 01473 836779.
Email:
enquiries@optua.org.uk.
Optua website
(new window).
Suffolk Coastal District Council Access Officer
(Suffolk Coastal District Council buildings only).
Peter Kerridge.
Telephone: 01394 444273 or 01394 444211.
Fax: 01394 444556.
Minicom: 01394 444211.
Email:
peter.kerridge@suffolkcoastal.gov.uk.
Suffolk County Council Access Officer.
Alan Forsdike.
Telephone: 01473 584360.
Fax: 01473 584430.
Email:
alan.forsdike@property.suffolkcc.gov.uk.