UK Act of Parliament 1995 United Kingdom

Disability Discrimination Act 1995

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At a glance

Enforced by

RQIA

What's here

33 compliance obligations, 3 practical guides · 4 journeys

Penalty landscape

4 of 33 obligations carry an unlimited fine. 8 carry different penalties and 21 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Who this Act binds

Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.

  • Any Person 22
  • Employer 3
  • Responsible Person 1
  • Operator 1

Plus 6 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.

Step-by-step journeys using this legislation

Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.

Relevant guidance

Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.

Direct — cites this Act

1 guides

Mentioned in related content

2 guides

Other Acts binding the same actors

For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.

Any Person also bound by 749 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Employers also bound by 171 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Responsible Persons also bound by 56 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Operators also bound by 125 other Acts (top 5 shown)

What this Act requires

Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.

Part I — Disability

Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part II — THE EMPLOYMENT FIELD AND DISTRICT COUNCILS

s.007

Advocates: duty to make adjustments

  • Advocates must make reasonable adjustments for disabled persons Any Person
Browse 19 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.003

Meaning of “discrimination”

s.003

Meaning of “harassment”

s.007

Barristers: discrimination and harassment

s.007

Advocates: discrimination and harassment

s.017

Enforcement, remedies and procedure.

s.018

Alterations to premises occupied under leases.

s.018

Reasonable adjustments: supplementary

s.018

Premises provided otherwise than in course of a Part 2 relationship

Part III — Discrimination in Other Areas

s.021

Duty to make adjustments

  • Private clubs and associations must make reasonable adjustments for disabled people Any Person
Browse 15 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.021

Employment services

s.021

Discrimination by private clubs etc.

s.021

Meaning of “discrimination”

s.021

“Member”, “associate” and “guest”

s.022

Commonholds

Part IV — Education

s.028

Duty of education authorities not to discriminate

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Education authorities must not discriminate against disabled students Local authority
s.028

Residual duty: supplementary provisions

  • Avoid discrimination against disabled people in any circumstance Any Person
s.031

General qualifications bodies: duty to make adjustments

  • Qualifications bodies must make reasonable adjustments for disabled people Any Person
s.031

Chapter 2A: duty to consult before making regulations

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must consult before making regulations Crown / Minister / Government department
Browse 43 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.028

Discrimination against disabled pupils and prospective pupils

s.028

Meaning of “discrimination”

s.028

Disabled pupils not to be substantially disadvantaged

s.028

Accessibility strategies and plans

s.028

Accessibility strategies and plans: procedure

s.028

Tribunals

s.028

Jurisdiction and powers of the Tribunal - England and Wales

s.028

Jurisdiction and powers of the Tribunal – Wales

s.028

Case friends — Wales

s.028

Advice and information — Wales

s.028

Resolution of disputes — Wales

s.028

Independent advocacy services — Wales

s.028

Procedure

s.028

Appeal from the Welsh Tribunal to the Upper Tribunal

s.028

Admissions

s.028

Exclusions

s.028

Roles of the Secretary of State and the Welsh Ministers

s.028

Civil proceedings

s.028

Validity and revision of agreements of responsible bodies

s.028

Interpretation

s.028

Discrimination against disabled students and prospective students

s.028

Meaning of “discrimination”

s.028

Meaning of “harassment“

s.028

Responsible bodies' duties to make adjustments

s.028

Further education etc. provided by local authorities and schools

s.028

Relationships which have come to an end

s.028

Instructions and pressure to discriminate

s.028

Discriminatory advertisements

s.028

Enforcement, remedies and procedure

s.028

Occupation of premises by educational institutions

s.028

Validity and revision of agreements

s.031

Interpretation

s.031

General qualifications bodies: discrimination and harassment

s.031

Meaning of “discrimination”

s.031

Meaning of “harassment”

s.031

Enforcement, remedies and procedures

s.031

Alterations to premises occupied under leases

s.031

Chapter 2A: claims, leased premises and certain agreements

s.031

Conciliation for disputes

s.031

Application to Isles of Scilly

Part 5A — Public authorities

No sections of this Part have been ingested yet.

Part 5B — Improvements to dwelling houses

Browse 5 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.049

Duties under section 49D: compliance notices

s.049

Enforcement of compliance notices

s.049

Improvements to let dwelling houses

s.049

Conciliation of disputes

s.049

Conciliation of disputes: rented housing in Scotland

Part V — Public Transport

s.037

Carrying of assistance dogs in private hire vehicles

Fine up to £1,000
  • Refuse a booking or charge extra because of an assistance dog Any Person
s.041

Accessibility certificates.

Fine up to £2,500
  • Use a public service vehicle without required accessibility certificate Any Person
Browse 13 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.036

List of wheelchair-accessible vehicles providing local services

Part VI — The National Disability Council

Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part VII — Supplemental

Browse 9 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.053

Codes of practice.

s.054

Codes of practice.

s.059

National security

Part VIII — Miscellaneous

Browse 12 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.064

Other police bodies

Schedules

Browse 11 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
s.sch003a

VALIDITY OF CONTRACTS, COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS AND RULES OF UNDERTAKINGS

s.sch004a

RESPONSIBLE BODIES FOR SCHOOLS

s.sch004b

RESPONSIBLE BODIES FOR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

s.sch004c

MODIFICATIONS OF CHAPTER 2 OF PART 4

Other sections — not classified into a Part

These sections exist in the Act but the contents-of-Parts walker did not place them under a Part. Likely amendments or sections inserted out of the original Part structure.

s.004

Employers: duty to make adjustments

  • Make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees and job applicants Employer
s.004

Office-holders: duty to make adjustments

  • Make reasonable adjustments for disabled office-holders Responsible Person
s.004

Occupational pension schemes: duty to make adjustments

  • Make reasonable adjustments to occupational pension schemes Employer
s.006

Partnerships: duty to make adjustments

Unlimited fine
  • Make reasonable adjustments for disabled partners Any Person
s.007

Barristers: duty to make adjustments

  • Barristers and chambers must make reasonable adjustments for disabled people Any Person
s.014

Qualifications bodies: duty to make adjustments

  • Make reasonable adjustments for disabled people in professional qualifications Any Person
s.014

Practical work experience: duty to make adjustments

  • Make reasonable adjustments for people on practical work experience Any Person
s.015

Authorities and their members: duty to make adjustments

  • Authorities must make reasonable adjustments for disabled members Any Person
s.024

Let premises: discrimination in failing to comply with duty

Unlimited fine
  • Do not discriminate when failing to make reasonable adjustments to let property Any Person
s.024

Duty for purposes of section 24A(2) to provide auxiliary aid or service

  • Provide auxiliary aids or services for disabled persons in let premises Any Person
s.024

Duty for purposes of section 24A(2) to change practices, terms etc

  • Adjust business practices to avoid discriminating against disabled people Any Person
s.024

Premises that are to let: discrimination in failing to comply with duty

Unlimited fine
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • RQIA must enforce compliance regarding premises for let Statutory regulator
s.047

Rail vehicle accessibility compliance certificates

  • Obtain an accessibility compliance certificate for rail vehicles Any Person
s.047

Rail vehicle accessibility compliance certificates: supplementary

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State may set rules for rail vehicle accessibility certificates Crown / Minister / Government department
s.047

Penalties under sections 47D to 47H: procedure

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must notify and explain penalty decisions Crown / Minister / Government department
s.049

General duty

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Public authorities must promote equality for disabled people Crown / Minister / Government department
Browse 52 other unclassified sections
s.004

Contract workers

s.004

Office-holders: introductory

s.004

Office-holders: discrimination and harassment

s.004

Office-holders: supplementary

s.004

Occupational pension schemes: non-discrimination rule

s.004

Occupational pension schemes: procedure

s.004

Occupational pension schemes: remedies

s.004

Occupational pension schemes: supplementary

s.006

Partnerships: discrimination and harassment

s.006

Partnerships: supplementary

s.014

Qualifications bodies: discrimination and harassment

s.014

Practical work experience: discrimination and harassment

s.015

Interpretation of sections 15B and 15C

s.015

Authorities and their members: discrimination and harassment

s.016

Relationships which have come to an end

s.016

Discriminatory advertisements

s.016

Instructions and pressure to discriminate

s.017

Enforcement of sections 16B(1) and 16C

s.017

Validity of contracts, collective agreements and rules of undertakings

s.018

Charities and support for particular groups of persons.

s.018

Interpretation of Part 2

s.021

Discrimination by public authorities

s.021

Exceptions from section 21B(1)

s.021

Meaning of “discrimination” in section 21B

s.021

Duties for purposes of section 21D(2) to make adjustments

s.021

Application of sections 19 to 21 to transport vehicles

s.024

Exceptions to section 24A(1)

s.024

Sections 24C and 24D: supplementary and interpretation

s.024

Let premises: victimisation of persons to whom premises are let

s.024

Exceptions to section 24G(1)

s.024

Duties for purposes of section 24G(2)

s.024

Let premises and premises that are to let: justification

s.024

Sections 24 to 24K: power to make supplementary provision

s.024

Premises provisions do not apply where other provisions operate

s.047

Rail vehicle accessibility compliance certificates: fees

s.047

Penalty for using rail vehicle without accessibility compliance certificate

s.047

Penalty for using rail vehicle that does not conform with accessibility regulations

s.047

Penalty for using rail vehicle otherwise than in conformity with accessibility regulations

s.047

Sections 47E and 47F: inspection of rail vehicles

s.047

Sections 47E and 47F: supplementary powers

s.047

Penalties under sections 47D to 47H: amount, due date and recovery

s.047

Penalties under sections 47D to 47H: appeals

s.047

Sections 46 to 47H: interpretation

s.049

Meaning of “public authority” in Part 5A

s.049

Exceptions from section 49A(1)

s.049

Power to impose specific duties

s.064

Police

s.067

Exercise of discretion under section 67(5A)

s.067

Annual report on rail vehicle exemption orders

s.validity of contracts, collective agreements and r

VALIDITY OF CONTRACTS, COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS AND RULES OF UNDERTAKINGS

Read the full Act on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)

Official guidance

Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.

Enforcement and responsible bodies

The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.

RQIA

Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority

Independent regulator for health and social care services in Northern Ireland. Registers and inspects hospitals, care homes, dental practices, and other care …

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