The Disability Discrimination Act of 1995 was introduced in order to ensure that disabled people were provided with protection against discrimination by both employers and service providers.

Since the introduction of this act is has been unlawful for a service provider to fail to make reasonable adjustments to the way in which the services are provided to disabled people. From October 2004 it will be unlawful for a service provider to fail to make reasonable adjustments to the physical features of service premises in order to overcome physical barriers to access. The service provider has a duty to overcome a physical feature by either removing it, altering it or avoiding it.

The Disability Discrimination Act affects all types and categories of service providers including universities and colleges, hotels, offices and shops.

From 2004, where a physical feature makes it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled customers to make use of a service offered to the public, service providers will have to take steps, where reasonable, to:

• Remove the feature, or
• Alter it so that it no longer has that effect, or
• Provide a reasonable means of avoiding the feature, or
• Provide a reasonable alternative method of making the service available to disabled people (this fourth duty has been in force since October 1999).

• Whether taking any particular steps would be effective in overcoming the difficulty that disabled people face in accessing the services in question
• The extent to which it is practicable for the service provider to take the steps
• The financial and other costs of the adjustment
• The extent of any disruption which taking the steps would cause
• The extent of the service provider’s financial and other resources
• The amount of any resources already spent on making adjustments
• The availability of financial or other assistance.