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  2. People with disabilities
  3. Motoring, travel and transport for people with disabilities

Travel accommodation and disability

Information about accommodation, including links to advisory bodies in Northern Ireland, if you have a disability or reduced mobility.

Booking accommodation 

Often a disability is not obvious to other people. Make sure you explain your particular needs clearly when booking accommodation or dealing with a travel company.

You should not assume that staff will automatically know or understand your needs. This is particularly important when booking by phone, post or over the internet.

Accessible accommodation

Hotels and businesses differ in what they offer. For example, some places will be fully accessible to a wheelchair user travelling independently. Others may be accessible to people who have limited mobility but can walk a few paces.

Some charities produce guides detailing specific holiday accommodation. They may have information such as whether there are:

  • ground floor bedrooms
  • wide corridors and doorways
  • menus and other information in Braille
  • adaptations in the rooms
  • staff trained to assist people with disabilities

It's also worth checking if companions or carers can accompany you at a discounted rate.

Equipment, adaptations and services on holiday

You, or the person you care for, may be used to equipment or adaptations at home. It's important to check that your holiday accommodation meets your needs.

When booking accommodation directly, or through an organisation or travel agency, check what's on offer.

Some places are able to support people with different needs. For example, some hotels have rooms adapted specifically for people who are blind or visually impaired. The following are some examples of the types of adaptations and services that may be available:

  • wheel-in showers
  • raised toilet seats
  • manual and electric bath hoists
  • manual and electric bed hoists
  • alarm systems in rooms
  • vibrating alarms

Depending on your needs, check what help staff can offer. For example, can they help wheelchair users or are they trained to use sign language?

Carers and companions

You can hire a companion, carer or nurse for extra help - some commercial companies offer this service. It's worth checking if companions or carers can accompany you at a discounted rate.

  • Employing a professional carer or personal assistant

Places to stay

Northern Ireland is renowned for its friendly people and natural beauty. The activities and attractions here bring together these qualities in a great package of things to do throughout the region.

For information on things to do and places to stay, visit the Discover Northern Ireland website.

  • Discover Northern Ireland

Complaints

The Consumer Council for Northern Ireland protects and promotes the interests of all passengers travelling to, from or within Northern Ireland.

It helps individual passengers with their transport complaints and also works with transport providers to help stop complaints arising in the first place.

You can contact the Consumer Council by letter, telephone, fax or email:

  • Consumer Council for Northern Ireland

Travelling with pets 

When travelling with pets, the rules you must follow depend on the country you are going to or coming from.

  • Travelling with your pets 

Factsheets

The Inclusive Mobility Transport Advisory Committee (Imtac) has factsheets to help people with disabilities travel more easily:

  • Planning your journey
  • Motability
  • Advice for wheelchairs users

More useful links

  • Travelling by taxi with a disability
  • Planning a trip if you have a disability
  • Travelling abroad
  • Checklist for disabled and less mobile passengers
  • Contacting 08 and 03 numbers
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Motoring, travel and transport for people with disabilities

  • Accessible parking bays
  • Adapting your vehicle if you have a disability
  • Air travel and disability
  • Blue Badge scheme
  • Bus and train travel with a disability
  • Community transport and shopmobility schemes
  • Disability Action Transport Scheme (DATS)
  • Driving and disability
  • Ferry travel and disability
  • Free bus travel and concessions
  • Learning to drive with a disability
  • Planning a trip if you have a disability
  • Shopmobility Northern Ireland
  • The Motability Scheme
  • Travel accommodation and disability
  • Travel Safe – a guide for people with learning disabilities
  • Travelling by taxi with a disability
  • Vehicle tax for people with disabilities
  • Your rights - motoring and transport

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What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912
Email 
dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Call 0800 587 2750 
Email 
customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

  • Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
  • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about:

  • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
    contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
     
  • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
    contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

 

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly.  We don't have access to information about you.

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