Disability Rights Explained

A glossary of disabled and disability rights.

Access to work programme: Help for people wanting to find employment.

Alt-tag: A system built into web pages that turn images on web pages into descriptions.

Amplified telephones: Special telephones for the hard of hearing with volume that is louder.

Assessment of needs: An assessment for disabled people to determine financial aid.

Attendance allowance: Financial support you may be entitled to if you need help looking after yourself if you’re disabled and are over the age of 65.

Benefits: Financial support you may be entitled to if you’re disabled.

Disability & The Home

If you are disabled and need to adapt your home due to your disability then you have certain rights and one of these is help from your local council. You may be entitled to a grant from your local council called a disabled facilities grant, if the council considers that certain changes are necessary for your needs.

Who is entitled to the grant?

You may be entitled to receiving this grant if you meet the following criteria:

* If you are disabled or someone that is living with you permanently is disabled.

Disability & Employment

If you are disabled and need extra help when seeking employment then you have the right to speak with a disability employment adviser, the advisor can offer you support and help regardless of your position.

The advisor is there to give you advice on gaining new skills or re training, whether you have been out of work for a long time or just a short while.

Disability & Tax

When a person buys goods or some services in the EU including the UK then they would normally pay VAT tax, but disabled people have the right not to pay VAT on products designed for disabled people or if they have equipment adapted for use.

Certain services are also VAT free for the disabled and these include building services provided to adapt the disabled person’s home for a better standard of living, the hiring of wheelchairs is also included under services.

Disability & Employment

If you have a disability and there are problems in the workplace then you have certain rights and support is available for you. Many counties have in place agreements within the workplace for finding solutions to problems in the workplace that can occur and many will work alongside both you and your employer to help resolve these issues.