Guide Dogs

It is shocking that so many guide dog owners have reported being refused access to a restaurant, shop or taxi at some point because of their dog.

As guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission makes clear, it is unlawful under the Equality Act 2010 to refuse access to a disabled person accompanied by an assistance dog, except in the most exceptional circumstances. It also highlights that disabled people rely on their assistance dogs to assist with everyday tasks and would find it hard to manage without them.

More than six years ago, a cross-party parliamentary report found the laws designed to protect disabled people against disability discrimination simply were not working in practice, and that employers, service providers and public bodies were not adapting to their needs.

However, even in areas where the Government has pledged to act, we are still waiting. For example, despite people with guide dogs being protected under law from being denied a taxi service or charged extra, we know instances of this do occur. Yet the Government has still not brought forward the mandatory disability awareness training for taxi and private hire vehicle drivers that it committed to back in 2019.

When questioned recently on how effective current legislation is for people with assistance dogs accessing businesses and services, the Government responded to say the Equality Advisory and Support Service can intervene directly or assist the complainant to take the problem up with the relevant service provider.

It is now well over a decade since the Equality Act was introduced. The duties in the Act that require service providers to avoid putting disabled people at a substantial disadvantage are very clear, and it is shameful that 12 years later blatant discrimination is still being faced by disabled people and their guide dogs. I can understand why disability organisations find this both disappointing and disheartening.

I believe we need to do things differently and listen to disabled people, who are experts by experience. Disabled people need to be central to decision-making and not treated as an afterthought.