Why

Having an Access Audit serves several important purposes:

1. Identify Barriers

An Access Audit helps businesses identify physical, sensory, and attitudinal barriers that may hinder access for individuals with disabilities. By conducting a thorough assessment of the premises, including entrances, pathways, facilities, and services, businesses can pinpoint areas that require improvement to enhance accessibility.

2. Legal Compliance

In many countries, including the UK, there are legal obligations for businesses to provide equal access and reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. An Access Audit helps identify areas where a business may not be meeting these obligations, allowing them to take corrective measures and avoid potential legal issues and discrimination claims.

3. Inclusivity and Diversity

An Access Audit demonstrates a commitment to inclusivity and diversity. It shows that a business values and respects individuals with disabilities by creating an environment that welcomes and accommodates them. This helps foster a sense of belonging and equal participation, promoting a positive reputation and customer loyalty.

4. Customer Satisfaction and Market Reach

Improving accessibility through an Access Audit can enhance customer satisfaction. By providing equal access to all customers, businesses can cater to a broader market segment, including people with disabilities. This expands the customer base and increases the potential for business growth and profitability.

5. Employee Well-being and Productivity

Access Audits are not limited to customer-facing areas but also encompass the workplace environment. By identifying and removing barriers, businesses create an inclusive workplace that promotes employee well-being and productivity. Employees with disabilities will feel valued and supported, leading to increased job satisfaction and engagement.

6. Future-Proofing

An Access Audit helps businesses anticipate and address accessibility challenges that may arise in the future. By identifying potential barriers and planning for their removal or mitigation, companies can save costs, prevent disruptions, and ensure long-term compliance with accessibility standards.

7. Reputation and Brand Image

Demonstrating a commitment to accessibility through an Access Audit can enhance a business’s reputation and brand image. It showcases a socially responsible approach and can attract customers who prioritise inclusivity and diversity when choosing where to spend their money.

Overall, an Access Audit is a proactive step that enables businesses to identify barriers, improve accessibility, comply with legal obligations, enhance customer and employee satisfaction, expand market reach, and build a positive reputation as an inclusive and socially responsible organisation.

The Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 is not compliance-based and not prescriptive in its requirements; however, it does refer to Reasonable Adjustment. It can be difficult for service providers to determine what is reasonable and what is not.

Our Access Audit will generally cover all elements of your building and environment following the ‘journey’ of a disabled user. Typically, an audit would cover:

Businesses lose approximately £2 billion a month – A MONTH – by ignoring the needs of disabled people (Ref from Purple Pound).

The Purple Pound refers to the spending power of disabled households. A disabled household is a household in which at least one of the members has a disability. Organisations are missing out on the business of disabled consumers due to poor accessibility (both physical and digital) and not being disability confident in their customer services approach.

1 in 5 – More than 1 in 5 potential UK consumers have a disability.

£2 billion – Businesses lose approximately £2 billion a month by ignoring the needs of disabled people.

73% – 73% of potential disabled customers experience barriers on more than a quarter of websites they visited.

£16 billion – Taking averages per head, the online spending power of disabled people is estimated at over £16 billion.

£17.1 billion – Estimates show that the 4.3 million disabled online shoppers, who click away from inaccessible websites, have a combined spending power of £11.75 billion in the UK.

14.1 million – The number of disabled people is increasing: From 11.9 million (2014) to 13.3 million (2020).

75% – 75% of disabled people and their families have walked away from a UK business because of poor accessibility or customer service.

1 in 5 – Nearly 1 in 5  working adults have a disability.

£274 billion – The spending power of disabled people and their households continues to increase and is currently (2020) estimated to be worth £274 billion per year to UK businesses.

Research has shown how various sectors lose money each month by not being accessible. A breakdown can be found below:

High Street Shops – £267 million

Restaurants/Pubs/Clubs – £163 million

Supermarkets – £501 million

Energy Companies – £44 million

Phone/Internet Providers – £49 million

Transport Providers – £42 million

Banks or Building Societies – £935 million

If you make your business more inclusive, you will make more money. It really is that simple. Right, there is your business case.

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