Hotels B&B's Cottages for Disabled People in Wales

Disabled Travel Guide and and Holidays in Wales for Disabled Children & Disabled People

The Disability Rights Commission would like stronger legislation across the board of accommodations to ensure all provide good disabled access facilities. In October 2004 changes were made to the Disability Rights Act, making legislation on adaptation of businesses providing goods and services a little more stringent! More 'reasonable adjustments' will be demanded, including the removal of any physical barriers making it difficult for disabled users to access goods and services. Inevitably though, some of the older B&Bs especially are struggling to adapt.

Before booking it's good to know your Disability Rights, and if accommodations are not fulfilling current legislative requirements, then they need to be advised of the fact. In Wales, when you're booking your accommodation, ask them if they have available an Access Statement (the Welsh Tourist Board recommends that they have these statements available which outline just how accessible they are). When booking, be honest and give detailed information about your disability, highlighting the services and facilities that you need. If you get clarification from the owner in writing all the better. This is useful cover should the accommodation not fulfil it's promises, with the consequence of your holiday being disrupted. Catering for blind visitors, for advice see www.rnib.org.uk and the Wales Council for the Blind at 'www.wcb-ccd.org.uk'.

Disabled and older visitors to Wales should note that the Welsh Tourist Board, and by extension accommodations, do not anymore recognise the old National Accessibility Scheme disability symbols. They have their own 'S' in a circle and 'SM' in a circle symbols (see above for details). CADW now has free entrance to all their historic sites, including castles and monuments for wheelchair users and visually impaired visitors, plus their companions. Likewise The National Trust also offers free entrance to disabled visitors and their companions, plus takes care to provided detailed information on access to all their sites (see www.nationaltrust.org and their 'Visitors with Disabilities Guide').

Know Your Rights - The Disability Discrimination Act and The National Accessible Standards

For disabled access UK information, The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) outlines your rights as a disabled user of goods, services or facilities. These are obligations on service providers, who must ensure that their services are accessible for disabled people to use. In the Act, your rights to services have been introduced in three stages:

Firstly, since 2 December 1996 it has been against the law for service providers to treat you less favourably because of your disability. Secondly, since 1 October 1999 service providers have had to make "reasonable adjustments" for you, such as giving extra help or changing the way they provide their services. Thirdly, and pending from 1 October 2004 service providers may have to make other "reasonable adjustments" to their premises so that there are no physical barriers stopping or making it unreasonably difficult for you to gain access to services.

The momentum, then, of legislation is growing steadily more stringent, with an increasing onus being put on the service provider to change, rather than the service user to adapt. For more information checkout 'www.disabilitywales.org'.