Did you know...

• Around 10 million people in Great Britain have a disability or long-term health condition.
• One in five people of working age has a disability or long-term health condition
• One in six adults at any one time will have “significant” mental health problems (Office of National Statistics 2000)
• Each year in Britian an estimated 1 in 4 adults will experience at least one diagnosable mental health problem
• Mixed anxiety and depression, according to the ONS 2000 survey, is experienced by 9.2 per cent of adults in Britain and is the most common mental illness.

Legislation

Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 aims to protect disabled people and prevent disability discrimination. It provides legal rights for disabled people in the areas of:

• Employment
• Education
• Access to goods, services and facilities
• buying and renting land or property
• functions of public bodies

The Equality Act also provides rights for people not to be directly discriminated against or harassed because they have an association with a disabled person. This can apply to a carer or parent of a disabled person. In addition, people must not be directly discriminated against or harassed because they are wrongly perceived to be disabled.

More information about the Equality Act can be found on the Government Equalities website.

• Eliminate unlawful discrimination
• Promote equal opportunities
• Eliminate disability related harassment
• Promote a positive attitude on disability
• Encourage participation by disabled people in public life

Definition of 'disability' under the Equality Act 2010

In the Act, a person has a disability if:

• they have a physical or mental impairment
• the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to perform normal day-to-day activities

For the purposes of the Act, these words have the following meanings:

• 'substantial' means molre than minor or trivial
• 'long-term' means that the effect of the impairment has lasted or is likely to last for at least twelve months
• 'normal day-to-day activities' include everyday things like eating, washing, walking and going shopping

Progressive conditions considered to be a disability

There are additional provisions relating to people with progressive conditions. People with HIV, cancer or multiple sclerosis are portected by the Act from the point of diagnosis. People with some visual impairments are automatically deemed to be disabled.

The University developed a Disability Equality Scheme and Action Plan (introduced in 2006) through consultation with staff and students using a variety of methods including an online survey, questionnaires and focus groups. This has now been subsumed into the Single Equality Scheme and Action Plan. Progress against the original Disability Action Plan is also available here.

Further information is available on the Disability Information Site. You can view our Disability Departmental Contacts here. 

Alternatively, for further information and advice about staff disability support, please contact Sandra Beaufoy, HR Advisor on ext: 74479 or s.beaufoy@warwick.ac.uk

The University has a range of accessible facilities, including Conference Centres, the Arts Centre and Sports Centres.

The University works with Remploy to publicise vacancies and support individuals with disabilities in finding employment at the University.

Please also see the Disability Policy for Staff and Students and the Frequently Asked Questions - Disability.

Useful Websites:

Senior Tutor's Office Counselling Service

Equality Challenge Unit

Access to Work Scheme