Module 1 – Definition of Disability

Definition of Disability 

Throughout this course, we have used the terms ‘disabled people’ and ‘disabled customers’ to refer to people who identify themselves as D/deaf, disabled, or neurodiverse. We also use the term ‘people with accessibility requirements’ as a broad term to refer to anyone who would benefit from accessibility provisions, regardless of whether they relate to being disabled or not.

There are about 16 million disabled people in the UK. They could be part of your workforce or contribute to your business as customers. But research by a disability charity shows that they are not getting equal access.  If you are working in the customer service industry, it is important to understand that your behavior can make all the difference when interacting with all your customers.

Making customer service accessible doesn’t need to be difficult. It is about providing a warm welcome for customers, delivering great service, and offering amazing and memorable experiences for everyone. These are all elements that any customer-related business in whatever sector is already familiar with. The key, if we are to genuinely welcome everyone, is that we just need to think a little differently about these.

Before we go any further, we need to understand what a disability means.

Disability is defined in the Equality Act 2010 as:

A physical or mental impairment, that has a substantial or long-term negative effect, on someone’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

The Equality Act 2010 applies to England, Scotland, and Wales. There is different legislation in Northern Ireland.
‘Substantial‘ means the impairment has a significant effect and consequences. ‘Long-term‘ means the substantial effects of the disability have been having an impact on the person’s life for at least a year.

The long-term element of the law also protects people with:

• chronic conditions like diabetes or autism.
• people with health conditions that have developed over time and have lasted for at least a year, such as fibromyalgia.

Example

Jane has an obsessive-compulsive condition (OCC). This means she is compelled to check doors which she locks 15 times. This takes time and often makes her late for appointments. It’s having a substantial effect on her life.

The long-term element of the law also protects people with:                                                                                     

• chronic conditions such as severe autism
• people with health conditions that have developed over time and have lasted for at least a year, like depression.