We’re sure you’ve heard of Changing Places by now and how important they are to the wider disabled community. But do you still need persuading as to why you should install a Changing Place?
Then here are three main things to consider when you’re weighing up your options.
The financial benefits that could follow you choosing to install a Changing Place are particularly appealing, although they should not be the only reason you decide to embrace these accessible facilities.
The ‘Purple Pound’ represents the spending power of the disabled community within the UK and it’s currently estimated to be worth around £212 billion. This accounts for around 12.2 million people with disabilities living in the UK.
Visit England ran a study in 2018 that showed that almost half a million adults with an impairment did not go on holiday within the UK over a 12-month period because there was a lack of accessible facilities for them to use. This could be at places like hotels, motorway services, or even train stations.
One key item that could change this shortfall is a Changing Place. The same study concluded that there would be an extra £116.7 million of financial opportunity to be had if the right facilities are put in place.
Now imagine how the problem of accessibility translates across different industries and markets rather than just tourism; sports arenas, shopping centres, and any other public building could have considerable financial gain from installing one or two Changing Places.
Moreover, there are now legal requirement for truly accessible facilities in public spaces.
The Equality Act of 2010 makes it clear that service providers need to make sure that they can offer the same services at the same level of quality for all kinds of users. That means that whatever you offer to enabled people should also be on offer to people with disabilities.
One very basic and key facility that should be equal between users is an accessible, fully functioning toilet/bathroom facility. This means a Changing Place.
The BS8300:2009 makes it very clear that Changing Places should be readily available in larger buildings and it sets the precedence that accessible building design should be embraced in any new developments.
With both the Equality Act and the British Standard in place, you should definitely be looking to invest in a Changing Place if you haven’t already. In the 2020 Budget Announcement, the Chancellor confirmed that Changing Places will soon be required for all new buildings. So, you can avoid any future expenses or conflicts by choosing to invest in a Changing Place now rather than later.
To help you with planning, designing, specifying and installing Changing Places, we’ve put together a simple checklist. It contains all the requirements for a registered Changing Place. Once you’ve ticked off every item, you know you’re facility is up to scratch! Get your free copy:
And probably the largest reason for them all to invest in a Changing Place is to ensure that your customers are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve. Could you imagine not being able to go about your day-to-day life because there just weren’t any toilets or facilities for you to use?
People with multiple disabilities need better equipment and facilities to be able to use the toilet with dignity and they deserve to have their needs met. Changing Places provide extra room, a changing bench, and an overhead hoist to give customers the best and most dignified experience possible.
Between the legal requirements and financial opportunities, you would have from investing in a Changing Place, you would also be giving a huge group of people the respect and dignity they deserve. So if you need more information on the next steps to getting a Changing Place, get in touch with our team.
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