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New Disability Discrimination Act

With the final phase of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 having been enforced as recently as October 2005, the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 (DDA 2005) has just received royal assent.

This Act will introduce new duties from December 2006 for all public bodies including local councils, government departments, universities and hospitals. The public sector will be required to actively promote disability equality, in a similar way to the duty to promote race equality under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act.

Key public bodies will be required to produce Disability Equality Schemes and action plans and to report annually on the outcomes and improvements they have achieved through these actions.

The Disability Discrimination Act 2005 will also:-

• make it easier for mental health service users, people with cancer, HIV and multiple sclerosis to claim their rights under the DDA;
• create new rights to use public transport and set an end date for all rail vehicles to be accessible;
• give disabled tenants and leaseholders a right to reasonable adjustments and auxiliary aids and services;
• give disabled people (including guests) new rights in respect of private clubs with 25 members;
• cover bodies that award general qualifications (like GCSE’s and A Levels).

This new legislation extends the scope of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and is intended to improve clarity and remove loopholes present in the current legislation.

Gauntlet Health & Safety Ltd can provide further advice and guidance regarding DDA 2005 or any of your disability access queries.

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