Legal Links

Disability Discrimination Act

A law to combat disability discrimination, extended on 1st October 2004 to cover more areas (notably education).

Some may say it doesn't go far enough, the "reasonable adjustments" clause has been attacked by many in the disability movement - who claim that "reasonable" is too loose a term, and can mean different things to different people. On the other hand, the DDA is better than no equal rights legislation at all, and may provide some protection against blatant abuses of our civil rights.

• Disability Rights Commission section on The Law
• Disability.gov.uk section on the DDA
• DDA - the law as written (HMSO website)
• TUC factsheet on the DDA
• BBC Watchdog guide to the DDA
• Using the DDA
• DDA and Web Accessibility
• DDA and Leisure services from Directgov
• ROSPA play safety and the DDA
• RNID factsheet on the DDA with respect to deaf people
• RNIB - DDA with respect to blind people
• MIND DDA legal briefing - with respect to mentally ill people
• Epilepsy Action - the DDA with respect to epilepsy
• A DDA overview
• DWP guide to employers on the DDA - an interesting reference
• DDA Intro for Small & Medium sized Businesses - likewise

Health & Safety Act

Often cited as an excuse for discrimination against disabled people. However, the Health & Safety Act is a necessary piece of legislation to stop companies putting our health and safety at danger by cost-cutting in the pursuit of huge profits. Does the Health & Safety Act go too far? Or is it just how it's interpreted? To know for a fact, follow the links below to find out more about what the Act actually says!

• Health & Safety Executive
• The H&S Act itself
• HSE section on the Disability Discrimination Act
• TUC - Health & Safety
• TUC - Disability & Safety

Mental Health Act

There are plans for a pernicious amendment to the Mental Health Act, which would mean that people with Severe Personality Disorders could be indefinitely detained, even if no treatment was available.

• Mental Health Act Hyper Guide
• Mental Health Law on Department of Health website - includes planned changes
• Liberty press release on 2002 Mental Health Bill (2002)
• Home Office Dangerous people with Severe Personality Disorder website