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  2. People with disabilities
  3. Rights and obligations

Your rights if you have a disability

Find out about disability discrimination in everyday life and the rights of people with disabilities, including in employment, health and education.

Access to goods, premises and services

Disability discrimination law gives people with disabilities important rights not to be discriminated against:

  • in accessing everyday goods and services like shops, cafés, banks, cinemas and places of worship
  • in buying or renting land or property
  • in accessing certain private facilities, such as those owned by private clubs (with 25 or more members)
  • in accessing important social goods and services, such as healthcare, housing, education and transport
  • in how public bodies carry out some of their other functions, such as policing and the issuing of licences
  • Access to everyday services
  • Protection against disability discrimination

Employment

It is unlawful for employers to discriminate against job-seekers and employees with disabilities. This includes failing to make reasonable adjustments and subjecting people with disabilities to disability-related harassment.

  • Disability discrimination law: employment rights

Health

It is unlawful for healthcare providers and social services, such as doctors' surgeries, dental surgeries and hospitals to discriminate against people with disabilities who wish to use their services.

This includes failing to make reasonable adjustments and offer reasonable ancillary aids and services. These may include sign language interpreters, hearing loops and publications, such as timetables in different formats - where needed and where it is reasonable to offer.

Education

It is unlawful for education providers, such as schools, colleges and universities to discriminate against pupils, prospective pupils, students and prospective students with disabilities. 

This includes failing to make reasonable adjustments and also for further and higher education colleges and universities, disability-related harassment. It also makes it unlawful for certain qualification awarding bodies to discriminate.

  • Learning and your rights

Buying and renting property 

It is unlawful for owners, landlords and estate agents, who are selling or letting or managing premises, to discriminate against people with disabilities who wish to buy or rent properties, in certain circumstances. This includes housing providers like the Housing Executive and housing associations.

Discrimination may include, in the case of leasehold property, failing to meet a duty to make reasonable adjustments.

  • Guide to rates
  • Building regulations 

Mental health 

Many people with a mental health condition may not think of themselves as having a 'disability'. But, they may be and if so will have the right not to be subjected to disability discrimination.

More protections cover the assessment, treatment and rights of people with a mental health condition.

  • Mental health and disability discrimination

Motoring, travel and transport

It is unlawful for transport providers, such as bus, coach and train operators, and taxis, to discriminate against people with disabilities who wish to use their services.

This includes failing to make reasonable adjustments and offer reasonable ancillary aids and services. These may include sign language interpreters, hearing loops and publications, such as timetables in different formats - where needed and where it is reasonable to offer.

Transport providers, such a taxi drivers, must also carry wheelchairs and guide dogs.

  • Travelling by taxi with a disability
  • Motoring, travel and transport for people with disabilities

Help and advice 

The Equality Commission offers free and confidential advice and help to people who believe they have been discriminated against because of their disability.

  • Equality Commission for Northern Ireland

More useful links

  • Health and support
  • Learning and education
  • Employment support for people with a disability or health condition
  • Home and housing options
  • Contacting 08 and 03 numbers
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Rights and obligations

  • People with disabilities: going to court and police help
  • Protection against disability discrimination
  • Your rights if you have a disability

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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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