Disability Discrimination Act 1996

The Act was introduced in 1996. It will come into force later this year (2004), so businesses have had eight years to prepare for it. A lot of small businesses in particular are extremely worried about how the law will affect their businesses, and there are a number of scare stories going around frightening operators about how the provisions of the law will affect them. We cannot stop the law happening, but we can react to the law in a way that will enhance our own businesses and reputations here in Cornwall. I think we should see the introduction of this law as an opportunity to reach a new market - one which we can service in all sorts of innovative ways. One operator, Valerie Penny of Pollaughan Farm (see article in the December CCTF newsletter, ‘Putting the wow into wheelchair accommodation’), has reacted very positively to the challenges of the law and I am sure her business will flourish as a result. Contacts: Employers’ Forum on Disability, Nutmeg House, 60 Gainsford Street, London SE1 2NY, tel. 020 7403 3020, email efd@employers-forum.co.uk web site www.employers-forum.co.uk Several useful publications are available from this web site. There is also an easy to read 20 page guide called “What about Disability” – a need to know guide for small business, sponsored by HSBC. Disability Rights Commission tel 08457 622633 Email enquiry@drc-gb.org web site www.drc-gb.org They also have an extremely well written and useful web-site www.drc.org.uk/whatwedo/guestaccom.asp aimed at hotel and guest house owners. However, a lot of the points made in the web site are equally applicable to all sectors of the tourism industry, including home and holiday parks and tourist attractions. Interestingly, a lot of the hints and tips given in the web site amount to good old-fashioned customer care practice, and apply equally well to the way we deal with ALL our guests. A free Disability Discrimination Act information pack is available containing the video 'Act now' and two DRC leaflets, '2004 - what it means to you. A guide for service providers' and 'The Disability Discrimination Act 1995: What employers need to know.' The Act Now video offers practical advice to small organisations who need to consider the way they provide their services. Businesses may be surprised to discover how easy and inexpensive the changes they need to make can be. By taking action, businesses are opening themselves up to the UK’s 8.5 million disabled people with a spending power of over £45 billion a year. contact: Disability Discrimination Act Info Pack PO Box 12 Nottingham NG7 2GB Tel: 0845 124 9841 Textphone: 1 800 1 0845 124 9841 Fax: 0115 942 2335 Email: DDAinfopack@meads-ltd.co.uk The ‘Act Now’ DDA awareness video and leaflets are also available by calling the Disability Rights Commission on 08457 622 633 or textphone 08457 622 644.