Disability access hints and tips for smaller businesses

Meeting your obligations under the Equality Act does not have to be complicated or expensive. For smaller businesses in particular, many of the most effective changes are straightforward and low cost. This guide covers the practical steps you can take to improve access for disabled customers, from your entrance and signage through to service desks and WCs.

Consulting your disabled customers

It helps to ask customers with disabilities how they would like goods and services to be provided, particularly where, for whatever reason, there are barriers to equal access.

Can disabled people find your premises?

Clear external signs help people with visual impairments or learning difficulties identify the shop.

Can disabled people get into the premises?

Ideally, disabled customers will be able to enter the shop independently, through the main front door, just like non-disabled customers, for example where there is level access through a wide door. But in many premises, particularly smaller ones, older buildings or buildings on awkward sites, equality of access may not be possible at reasonable cost.

In new buildings, the required minimum clear opening width for external doors is 800mm and for internal doors is 750mm. This allows easy wheelchair access and access for people pushing buggies. For existing premises, 750mm clear opening width for external doors is acceptable for wheelchair access.

Where full independent wheelchair access is not possible, consider changes such as providing a temporary portable ramp, positioning door handles at an easier height, making the door less heavy to open, or providing a call bell to alert staff when a disabled customer needs assistance to enter.

Are there alternative ways of providing the service?

For goods this might include operating a telephone, mail order or local delivery scheme, or having staff bring goods to the front door or the nearest easy collection point.

For services it might include home visits for disabled customers, or providing the service in an alternative accessible location either by appointment or on a regular basis.

Can disabled people access your goods and services?

Ideally, disabled customers should be able to find their way to all sales areas, browse and inspect goods, and receive services in the same way as non-disabled people. For people with visual impairments, consider clear signs and product labelling, large print menus or product information, and avoiding awkward or dangerously placed fittings. Some blind customers may prefer to be guided by a member of staff or to have goods brought to them. For wheelchair users who cannot reach goods on shelves, staff assistance may be the appropriate reasonable adjustment.

Can disabled customers use your checkouts and service desks?

The ideal counter height for wheelchair users is 750 to 800mm from floor level, with unobstructed space underneath for legs and wheelchair footrests. Lowering a section of counter can significantly improve access, though you should also consider the needs of ambulant customers at the same time.

Do you need to provide accessible WCs?

For many small shops this does not arise. Where WCs are provided for the public, for example in cafes, consider their accessibility. If space allows and a WC compartment can be modified to full wheelchair accessible standards, this is worth doing.

Planning permission and leased premises

When making changes to premises you may need planning permission, building regulations approval or listed building consent. The Equality Act does not override these requirements.

If you lease your premises and the terms do not allow alterations, the Act enables you to make changes if the landlord consents, and states that consent must not be withheld unreasonably, though reasonable conditions may be attached.

Get advice from Inclusion

Our access auditors can carry out a full disability access audit of your premises, identifying barriers and recommending practical, cost-effective ways to meet your responsibilities under the Equality Act. To find out more, call us on 01892 320334 or email enquiries@inclusion.me.uk.