We are committed to providing accessible inclusive design guidance for people who need it. This section aims to help with our most common queries.
Our services
- What consultancy services does CAE provide?
- What is an access audit?
- Does CAE provide access audits, design appraisals and access statements?
- Do you produce access audit checklist templates?
- Where can I find accessible housing guidance or help with home adaptations?
- I am an RCOT member how do I get my discount for the Wheelchair Housing Guide?
- How do I become an access auditor ?
Resources
- Where can I find the UK standards for accessibility?
- Where can I find out more about disability rights and the Equality Act 2010?
- Where can I find access equipment suppliers?
- Where can I find a casework service or legal support for a claim?
- How do I make a complaint under the Equality Act 2010?
- Where can I find fire safety risk assessment and means of escape guidance for disabled people?
- My question isn’t listed here, how do I get help?
If your question is not found here, please get in touch!.
Q: What consultancy services does CAE provide?
A: For over 50 years, CAE has been helping organisations to improve accessibility in buildings and environments. We deliver a wide range of expert access consultancy services including access audits, design appraisals and access statements. Get in touch or see our consultancy pages for further information.
Q: Where can I find UK standards for accessibility?
A: General dimensions, layouts and measurements can be found in building regulations, such as the Approved Document to Part M (now in two parts), (in Scotland and Northern Ireland, the Technical Handbooks contain information on accessibility.)
British Standard BS 8300: Design of buildings and their. approaches to meet the needs of disabled people. Code of Practice provides detailed guidance and ergonomic standards. Available to purchase from the British Standards Institute.
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Q: Where can I find out more about disability rights and the Equality Act 2010?
A: The Equality and Human Rights Commission provide a range of free online guidance and documents
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Q: Where can I find access equipment suppliers?
A: The Disabled Living Foundation offers a range of advice on services such as access equipment. Enabled by Design is a community/peer-led website reviewing and rating new and useful products that are easy to use.
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Q: Where can I find a casework service or legal support for a claim?
A: Unfortunately we don’t provide a casework service or offer specific legal support. You can contact the Disability Law Service for this type of service.
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Q: How do I make a complaint under the Equality Act 2010?
A: There are discrimination questionnaire forms and guidance available from the UK Government’s website: Information on making a complaint under the Equality Act 2010.
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Q: Where can I find guidance on accessible homes, or help with home adaptations?
A: CAE and Habinteg provide design guidance on the technical standards of accessible and wheelchair accessible homes, including:
- The Wheelchair Housing Design Guide
- The Inclusive Housing Design Guide
- Habinteg’s policy and research on unmet housing needs and the allocation of accessible homes, including our toolkits for local authorities.
CAE provides expert consultancy on home adaptations to clients through our design appraisal service – we reference a multitude of guidance including the Lifetime Homes standard (Wales and Northern Ireland), the Wheelchair Housing Design Guide, and Category 2 and 3 of Part M of the Building Regulations. Please contact us for further details.
Q:What is an access audit?
A: An access audit is a formal assessment of the barriers and inclusive features a building or environment has, and their impact on a wide range of potential users, including disabled people with mobility, cognitive and sensory impairments. Our access audits provide recommendations benchmarked to legislative drivers and standards – including national building standards, best practice and compliance with Equality Act 2010. In short, an access auditor uses their in-depth understanding of inclusive design to explain what changes are reasonable for you to make, as required by law, building standards and other design guidance. Back to top
Q: How do I become an access auditor ?
A. There isn’t a mandatory badge or qualification needed to carry out audits – access professionals develop their expertise through hands-on experience, knowledge of legislation and standards, and inclusive design training. CAE’s long-running Access Auditing and the Equality Act course is widely recognised in this field as the best way to kickstart a career or widen your auditing skillset, and is therefore our most popular training course.
The National Register of Access Consultants (NRAC) offers formal accreditation for access auditors and access consultants in the UK – to gain membership, applicants must undertake a robust two-stage application process involving hands-on experience and continuous professional development. All CAE’s associate consultants are NRAC-accredited or have a similar level of training and experience.
Q: Do you produce access audit checklist templates?
A. Please email info@cae.org.uk and we will be in touch. Back to top
Q I am an RCOT member how do I get my discount for the Wheelchair Housing Guide?
A. To order a copy with the RCOT member discount, confirm your invoice and delivery address by emailing info@cae.org.uk and we will generate an invoice for you. The discount can’t be applied via our online shop.
Q: My question isn’t listed here, how do I get help?
A: If you have a question or query and cannot find the answer on our website, please get in touch.
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