The Business Case

The strongest arguments for providing access for disabled people, and making reasonable adjustments, are found in the benefits to your business.

There are a lot of disabled people who are potential customers or employees

There are around 10 million disabled adults and 0.7 million disabled children in Great Britain alone who are covered by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA). Disabled people therefore make up over 17% of the population. Disabled people are not just those who use a wheelchair. There are estimated to be about 9 million deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK. The number is rising as the number of people aged over 60 increases. Around 2 million people have a significant visual impairment. Some people have more than one condition that leads to disability. Over 50% of disabled people cannot be identified visually as their condition is hidden, such as mental illness, learning difficulties, and some long-term medical conditions. The figures are growing. People are living for longer. Older people, and indeed parents with young children, need access to your services too, and much that is changed for disabled people helps them.

Disabled People Form a Significant Part of Your Potential Market

It is estimated that the spending power of the disabled market in the UK is £80 billion. Disabled people account for 12% of the economically active UK population. You need to add to this the fact that disability increases with age, and older people represent a significant and growing market - "the Grey Pound". And in addition to this, if one disabled person experiences poor service, you not only risk losing their business, you also risk losing the custom of associated family and friends. Can your business afford to neglect this income?

The Cost of Action is Reasonable

Whatever your budget, TRAC Direct can offer you a selection of products within a wide price range so you can make an informed decision and ensure you are not neglecting your share of the disabled market. Meeting your obligations under the DDA need not cost thousands or exceed your budgets if they are reasonable. In many cases, we have proved that with correct training, it is not always necessary to spend a great deal on new equipment and adaptations. Staff attitude and understanding what you currently offer in the way of access, can often be the key to effective customer service - not only for disabled people, but also for others who may need something a little different from the norm.

The Potential Cost of Not Acting is Substantial

If you do not take the access needs of disabled customers and employees seriously, you will risk:

Losing valuable customers
Failing to reach lucrative new markets
Not attracting and recruiting the best people for your jobs
Letting valuable staff leave unnecessarily
Getting a poor reputation as a service provider
Expensive legal action