Factsheets and resources
This page contains information to help you take your first steps towards improving access and sustainability. Below are some useful factsheets and resources on topics related to access and sustainability. If you require any of the factsheets in alternative formats or any other information, contact the Access and Sustainability Adviser, tel 020 7822 8242 , email wai-mei.chan@cae.org.uk.
Voluntary organisations and the Equality Act
As a voluntary organisation you may be classed as both an employer and a service provider.
Service providers, under the Equality Act 2010, have a responsibility to anticipate the needs of potential disabled customers. This could involve making reasonable adjustments to practices, policies and procedures and to physical features, it could also involve providing auxiliary aids and services.
As an employer, you have a duty not to discriminate against your disabled employees and to make reasonable adjustments to assist them in the workplace. Employers also have a duty not to discriminate against potential applicants. The employment duties are triggered when you employ a disabled person, one of your employees becomes disabled or when you advertise for jobs.
For further information on the Equality Act and how it applies to service providers and employers click on the links below:
Access audits
The first thing to consider before carrying out any access improvements is to commission an access audit. Having an access audit carried out is also one of the criteria of the City Bridge Trust’s Access to Buildings programme.
An access audit will assess the accessibility and usability of your premises and the services that you deliver from it. It will also provide recommendations of how access can be improved. Based on the audit, you can decide what access-related work to carry out.
For further information on access audits click on the link below:
Funding from the City Bridge Trust
Access to Buildings programme
The City Bridge Trust can provide funding for work which:
- improves access to buildings in the voluntary and community sector
- increases good practice in access awareness, information and design
You have to:
- show that an independent access audit has been undertaken. Grants of up to £5,000 are available for this and do not preclude a further application for access works
- consult widely with disabled people on their access needs. These should be taken into account when drawing up the building plans
Building Regulations
When carrying out building work, it is likely that you will need Building Control approval and will have to comply with the Building Regulations. Further guidance and information is available on the Planning Portal website. For our introduction to the Building Regulations click on the link below:
Good practice guidance
A great deal research has been carried out concerning access to the built environment, as a result there is a lot of good practice guidance available. Much of it is available to download for free. The National Register of Access Consultants (NRAC) provides a comprehensive list of good practice guidance.
The two most important documents are the Approved Document M: Access to and use of buildings 2004 edition, which offers guidance on how to comply with Part M of the Building Regulations and British Standard BS 8300:2009 (Incorporating Amendments 2010) Design of buildings and their approaches to meet the needs of disabled people – Code of practice which provides best practice guidance for the design of non-domestic and domestic buildings and their approaches.
There is also a range of good practice guidance published by CAE.
Building management and staff training
Creating an inclusive, accessible environment does not end with your building project. It is very important that access is successfully maintained and managed. Often an accessible building can be made inaccessible through poor building management.
VAT and building work
When carrying out building work you normally have to pay Value Added Tax (VAT). However, there are some exceptions for charities and those carrying out access-related work. Click on the link below for further information.
Language
Language can foster an atmosphere of separateness and exclusion if used insensitively and inappropriately. Our factsheet offers some useful guidance on the promotion and use of language that values and includes people.
Reducing the environmental impact of your premises
There is a lot of guidance on how to make your organisation greener. Two good guides are:
The Ethical Property Foundation have an online resource as part of their Property Advice Service that is aimed to get you started on green thinking.
For more information and useful links and downloads, click here for the new ASAS sustainability resource webpage for VCS organisations.
Organisations that carry out environmental audits or accredit environmental auditors: