Disabled Accessible Holiday Accommodation in Sussex

National Accessible Scheme & Sussex Disability Access Guides

To help disabled people decide if accommodation is suitable for them, the National Accessible Scheme (NAS) is the national UK recognised scheme which has graded accommodation by their criteria for disabled accessibility. Sussex accessible accommodation graded by NAS will have a symbol to show how accessible it is. Ratings are divided into three categories including Mobility impaired and disabled people, Visually impaired and blind people and Hearing impaired and deaf people. The scheme is outlined in full on the Visit Britain webguide at www.visitbritain.co.uk. Also for the West Sussex area see www.icis-info4life.org.uk. The Independent Combined Information Service (ICIS) operates a free enquiry line - Tel.0800 859929 offering information for visitors (as well as West Sussex residents) who may need assistance because of a disability, illness or difficulty. They can offer further assistance on accessible accommodation, places to visit, transport schemes, respite care, equipment, leisure facilities, shop mobility and more details on the West Sussex area. Brighton and Hove also have a Federation of Disabled People, website www.bhfederation.org.uk. Their webguide offers an extensive accessible guide to Brighton and Hove and further information via their links page. See also the Sussex Disability guide at www.disabilityguide.info.

Level one accommodation on the National Scheme for the physically impaired is suitable for a person with sufficient mobility to climb a flight of stairs but would benefit from fixtures and fittings to aid balance. Level two accommodation is typically suitable for a person with restricted walking ability and for those that may need to use a wheelchair some of the time and can negotiate a maximum of three steps. Level three accommodation is suitable for a person who depends on the use of a wheelchair and transfers unaided to and from the wheelchair in a seated position. This person may be an independent traveller. Level four accommodation is typically suitable for a person who depends on the use of a wheelchair in a seated position. This person also requires personal or mechanical assistance such as a carer or a hoist. Level five accommodation has exceptional access and provides for all levels of mobility impairment listed above with reference to the British Standard BS 8300:2001.

The accommodation must achieve the standards above for either independent wheelchair users or assisted wheelchair users and also fulfil additional more demanding accessibility requirements. For blind of deaf guests, level one accommodation provides key services and facilities for visually or hearing impaired guests and level two means that the accommodation provides a higher level of additional services and facilities for guests with vision or hearing impairments.

Disabled Accessible Tourist Attractions Parking Sussex

Most of the main Sussex attractions in Sussex including main museums, galleries and cathedrals offer good disabled access. Check with each individual Sussex attraction on the extent of access as many of the oldest of Sussex historic buildings and castles, gardens and stately homes have good disabled access to parts of the attraction, but limited access to raised areas of historic castles for example.

Disabled parking across Sussex for Brighton and Hove and Sussex main towns and villages and for National Trust and English Heritage attractions across the region is excellent. You'll find designated Disabled Access parking for National Trust properties.

Blue Badge parking priviliges operate across Sussex (see www.eastsussex.gov.uk and www.westsussex.gov.uk for more details on the Blue Badge Disabled Parking acesss scheme in Sussex). Attractions including museums, historic buildings and art galleries do vary in terms of what facilities they offer disabled people so it is always good to plan before you visit. More information and advice on access and facilities for disabled visitors is available at www.direct.gov.uk. Both the National Trust and English Heritage have a strong emphasis on improving access. For more details on accessibility to their attractions see www.nationaltrust.org.uk and www.english-heritage.org.uk.

Rights of Disabled People

The Disability Discrimination Act gives disabled people important rights of access to everyday services including hotels and all other types of holiday accommodation. Access to services is not just about installing ramps and widening doorways for wheelchair users in hotels - it is about making services easier to use for all disabled people, including people who are blind, deaf or have a learning disability.

The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) says that it is unlawful for service providers to treat disabled people less favourably than other people for a reason related to their disability. Accommodation providers now have to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to the way they deliver their services so that disabled people can use them. Examples of reasonable adjustments include putting a ramp at the entrance to a hotel as well as steps, providing larger signs for visually impaired people and providing staff with disability awareness training. What is considered a ‘reasonable adjustment’ for a large hotel chain will be different to a reasonable adjustment for a small guest house.

Accommodation providers are not required to make changes which are impractical or beyond their means. This means that some accommodation in Sussex such as grade II listed hotels, traditional thatched holiday cottages, stately homes or rustic guest houses which may have great difficulty in making adjustments such as installing ramps or wide doors are not obliged to do so by law. All modern hotels and newly built accommodation should have disabled access but you should still check with the hotel to make sure that your particular needs are met, whether you need an access ramp, hand rails, wide doors, a wheel in shower or a hoist in the bedroom. For comprehensive details on the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and the National Accessible Scheme see www.direct.gov.uk. Modern new large Sussex Hotels and older large Sussex Hotels in seaside resorts such as Eastbourne, Worthing, Brighton and Hastings generally offer good disabled access. The well established Sussex seaside resorts including Worthing, Brighton, Eastbourne and quieter seaside Sussex hotspots such as Bexhill and St Leonards are particularly accessible with flat level promenades and good access to beaches.