Making reasonable adjustments
In most circumstances, service providers must make reasonable adjustments to remove any barriers – physical or otherwise – that could make it difficult or impossible for disabled customers to use their services .
Service providers do not have to make adjustments to make their services more accessible to disabled people if this will lead to a breach of any other legal obligations that apply to them. However, these will be exceptional circumstances that apply only where the other legal obligations are very specific, and leave the service provider no choice but to act in a certain way.
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Adjustments to physical features
The law may require service providers to consider making reasonable adjustments by removing or changing physical features that make it difficult or impossible for people with mobility problems, and people with visual and hearing impairments, to access their services. These features could include:
- stairways and steps
- kerbs
- surfaces and paving
- parking areas
- entrances and exits (including emergency escapes)
- doors and gates
- toilets and washing facilities
- lifts and escalators.
As far as possible, the effect of the adjustment should be to make the service as accessible to people with disabilities as it is to other members of the public.
Example
A local council issues a formal invite to members of the public to make submissions and attend a public inquiry. The invitation states that reasonable adjustments will be made on request so that disabled people can participate. This ensures that the inquiry is equally accessible to disabled and non-disabled people.
Example
A housing association puts yellow and black striped hazard tape on each step of a concrete stairs so that visually impaired tenants can see the steps.
Example
A supermarket installs doors that open automatically so that people with mobility impairments don’t have to push open heavy doors, or wait for other people to do it for them.
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Auxiliary aids and services
Making reasonable adjustments could also mean providing auxiliary aids or changing the way services are delivered to make them accessible to disabled people.
Example
A working man’s club realises that its services are not accessible to deaf and hearing impaired people. The club fits an induction loop so that people who use hearing aids can hear better inside the premises. The club also makes sure that all staff are trained to communicate with deaf people. For example, staff are taught how to communicate in basic British Sign Language. The staff also know how to contact a British Sign Language interpreter, if needed.
Example
A building society makes information about its savings accounts available on audio tape and CD. Customers with visual impairments can listen to the information at home or in a building society branch before deciding whether to open an account.
Example
A hotel installs an alarm system with flashing lights, as well as a bell alarm. This means that deaf and hearing impaired guests are alerted to danger as quickly as hearing guests.
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Adjustments to policies and procedures
Service providers should monitor their policies and procedures to ensure that they are not making access to services unreasonably difficult for disabled customers. For example, if disabled customers complain that they cannot shop there because staff do not know how to treat them with respect, this could mean making sure all staff get disability awareness training. If disabled customers need extra time and assistance to try on clothes before they buy them, this could mean making sure that sales staff have extra time to assist them. Other ways of working with disabled customers may need to be considered to make sure that unnecessary barriers are removed.
Example
A video rental shop restricts membership to people who can show a driving licence as proof of identity. This automatically excludes those people with certain types of disabilites which prevent them from driving. If the shop does not change its policy to accept other forms of identification, it could be guilty of failing to make reasonable adjustments.
Example
A library has some computers for public use. When they were first installed, the library looked at incorporating text-to-speech software for visually impaired people. This software reads out on-screen text, which can be heard through speakers or headphones. At the time, the software was very expensive and not particularly effective, and the library decided not to buy it. A few years later, the library decides to replace the computers. The latest version of the software is effective, and within the library’s budget. It may therefore be reasonable to expect the library to buy and install the software.
See the Disability section for more details on reasonable adjustments for access to services.
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