Overview

This bill mandates wheelchair accessibility in all public buildings in England, Wales, and Scotland within three years of its enactment. It requires owners of public and relevant private buildings to provide access via ramps or other suitable measures and amends the Equality Act 2010 to clarify what constitutes a "reasonable adjustment" in this context.

Description

The Wheelchair Access Act 2024 aims to improve accessibility for wheelchair users. Key aspects include:

• Mandatory Access: Owners of public buildings and privately owned buildings with publicly accessible areas must provide wheelchair access within three years.
• Definition of "Wheelchair": The Act clarifies that "wheelchair" excludes mobility scooters legally drivable on roads.
• Regulations and Compliance: The Secretary of State will create regulations to ensure compliance within 12 months, requiring parliamentary approval.
• Equality Act Amendment: The bill amends the Equality Act 2010, specifying that installing a ramp (for steps under 12 inches total height) is a reasonable adjustment to ensure accessibility.
• Geographic Scope: The Act applies to England, Wales, and Scotland.
• Enforcement: The bill does not specify the enforcement mechanism for ensuring compliance; that's left to the regulations to be created.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't directly allocate specific government funds. However, the cost of creating regulations and potential future enforcement will impact government spending. No figures are provided in the bill itself.

Groups Affected

• Wheelchair users: This bill will directly benefit wheelchair users by improving access to public buildings.
• Building owners: Public and private building owners will be responsible for implementing the necessary accessibility changes, incurring potential costs.
• Government agencies: Responsible for creating and enforcing the regulations, adding to their workload and potential budgetary needs.

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