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Disabled People

The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)

Find out about the legislation that is in place to promote civil rights for disabled people and protect disabled people from discrimination.

Disability rights in everyday life

This article is mainly about the Disability Discrimination Act itself. You can find out about your rights in different areas of life, including accessing and using the services of shops, cafes and banks - plus your rights in employment, health and education - from the link below.

The Disability Discrimination Act

The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 aims to end the discrimination that many disabled people face. This Act has been significantly extended, including by the Disability Discrimination Act 2005. It now 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

The Act now requires public bodies 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 Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) website offers further information, including details on the changes made by the Disability Discrimination Act 2005. 

The  Disability Rights Commission (DRC) closed on 28 September 2007, but the website is still available and has plenty of information, including a brief overview with the key points of the Act. It also provides full versions in PDF (both Acts) and word (DDA 2005 only) format.

Getting hold of a copy of the Disability Discrimination Act

Both Acts are published on the website of the Office of Public Sector Information.

Print copy

A print version (ISBN 0 10 541105 1) is available to buy and is published by The Stationery Office (TSO).

Braille and large print versions

You can also buy Braille and large print versions of the Act (including the 2003 amendments) by calling The Stationery Office on 0870 600 5522 or you can email them: customer.service@tso.co.uk. These have the same ISBN as the print version (ISBN 0 10 541105 1).

British Sign Language (BSL) video

A BSL video version of the Act (ISBN 011703598X) is available to buy by ringing The Stationery Office on 0870 600 5522 or you can email them: customer.service@tso.co.uk.

Easy-read version

An easy-read version (ISBN 0117035998) is available to buy by phoning The Stationery Office on 0870 600 5522 or you can email them: customer.service@tso.co.uk.

Audio cassette

An audio cassette (ISBN 0117036005) guide to the Act is available to buy by phoning the Stationery Office on 0870 600 5522 or you can email them: customer.service@tso.co.uk.

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