Part 3 of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) deals with access to goods and services. In 1999, two new duties were imposed under this Part of the DDA, both of which relate to the provision of information:

1. An obligation to adjust policies, practices and procedures where these make it unreasonably difficult or impossible for a disabled person to use the service.

2. A duty to provide auxiliary aids and services. This includes the provision of information in accessible media – such as Braille or audiotape for visually impaired people – or the installation of induction loops to assist people with hearing impairments.

What does this mean in practice?

The duties do not mean that every single piece of information has to be produced in all formats. Anybody providing a service simply must take reasonable steps to make their service accessible, and this may mean providing information in another format where it is needed.

Every service provider has a duty under Part 3 of the DDA, whether they are part of the private, public or voluntary sector, and whether the service is paid for or free of charge. Therefore, every service provider must consider the way in which they communicate and share information with their service users, and must make reasonable adjustments where necessary.

For further advice on accessible information, reasonable adjustments and the DDA refer to the Code of Practice on Part 3 of the DDA. This can be downloaded from the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s website. This gives practical advice on how the DDA should be applied, and offers examples of when an alternative approach might be acceptable in individual circumstances.