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.

Blind persons Tax: This allowance allows you to receive an income without having to pay tax on it.

Braille: Special reading material for the blind.

Buildings regulation act: Changes any procedure, policy or practise that makes it difficult for disabled people to access a building or its services.

Bullying: Bullying exists when students or employees are exposed repeatedly or over time to a negative action on the part of one or more people.

Carer allowance: Financial help you may be entitled to if you look after a disabled person.

Constant attendance allowance: Financial assistance for daily care needs if you are disabled.

Differently abled persons: A term used to describe disabled people.

Direct payments: Payments given allowing the person to purchase aids and support.

Disability employment advisor: A person giving support and help to disabled people looking for employment.

Disability law: A lawyer who specialises in the rights of the disabled.

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

Disability Living allowance: This is an allowance for a child with a severe physical or mental disability.

Disability support pension: Financial help you may be entitled to if you cannot work.

Disabled Facilities Grant: This is a local council grant that may be given when help is needed adapting the home.

Disabled students allowance: An allowance to help pay for specialist equipment for disabled students.

Disabled: A physical or mental impairment which causes a long term adverse effect in carrying out normal day to day activities.

Discrimination in the workplace: The act of an employer treating a disabled person differently because of their disability.

Discrimination: When any disabled person is treated with less favour and the treatment is relating to the person’s disability and when there has been inadequate adjustment made which cannot be justified.

Education providers: Schools, colleges and any place of further education.

Employment assessments: An assessment given to find your particular skills and strengths when looking for employment.

Equal opportunities policies: Employer’s policy regarding equal rights for the disabled.

Harassment in the workplace: Any action in the workplace that creates an offensive or intimidating environment.

Incapacity benefit: Financial support you may be entitled to if you cannot work due to a disability.

Independent Living Fund: If you are severely disabled then you may be entitled to a grant which could enable you to live independently rather than in a care home.

Induction loops: Help for those using hearing aids using infra red facilities.

Industrial injuries disablement benefit: Financial assistance for those suffering disabilities through accidents at work.

Interpreter: A person who communicates between the deaf and hearing people.

Living independently: The right for a disabled person to live within their own home.

Make reasonable changes: Your landlord has to make provisions for your disability.

Mobility allowance: Financial help you may be entitled to for transport needs.

No win no fee policy: Many law firms offer this policy if you don’t win your case then you don’t pay.

Occupational therapist: A person who can assist the disabled person in making choices for adapting the home to suit their needs better.

Rehabilitation worker: A person who works with the disabled to give them advice on improving their lifestyle.

School bullying policies: A policy put in place within the school system to put a stop to bullying within the school.

Sensory impairment: A person who is blind, visually impaired, deaf or hard of hearing.

Supported housing programmes: A programme set up to allow the disabled some independence in their own home while having a warden on hand.

Tax relief on equipment: Some goods may qualify for tax relief if it has been designed or adapted for a disabled person.

Television license discount: A discount for registered blind people.

Text telephone: Special telephones for visually impaired people which allows the use of text.

The Children’s Act: Policy put in place to protect and keep children safe.

The Disability discrimination act: The law stating that disabled people cannot be discriminated against due to their disability.

The disability rights commission: An independent body set up to ensure the rights of the disabled.

The world programme of action concerning disabled persons: A body set up to bring people together world wide to form a strategy to enhance equal opportunities for disabled people.

Tribunal: An independent body who assess your case.

Typetalk: A service in the UK which enables hard of hearing people to communicate with hearing people over a network using a typetalk operator.

Visually impaired people: People who have trouble with their vision who aren’t classed as blind.

War disablement pension: Financial assistance if you are disabled due to being in the armed forces.

World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility programme: An independent body that sets out guidelines for web access for the disabled.

Filed under: Disability Rights Explained