Ireland: +353 (0)15079081
The University of Brighton has awarded an Honorary Doctor of Arts to Steven Mifsud MBE in recognition of his exceptional contributions to accessibility and inclusive design through his leadership of Direct Access, the award-winning consultancy he founded in 2004. He was formerly a student at the University thirty prior, where
Once again, it saddens us to report that disabled people are being treated as expendable. The UK government’s latest cost-cutting crusade has taken aim at Access to Work—a scheme that, for decades, has quietly but powerfully levelled the playing field for disabled people in employment. And now? It’s under threat.
(Or How Forced RTO Policies Are Rolling Back Disability Rights—And What Companies Must Do Instead) The Broken Promise of Workplace Inclusion Remote work wasn’t a gift of the pandemic—it was a long-overdue breakthrough for inclusion. For millions of disabled, neurodivergent, and caregiving employees, it wasn’t about comfort. It was about
The fitness industry measures everything—from average rep speed to protein shake sales. Yet most clubs fail to track their most revealing metric: the invisible exodus of members who leave not because of price or programming, but because basic design makes their workouts harder than they need to be. Consider this:
As the UK rail industry charts a course toward modernisation, one critical factor remains insufficiently addressed: true accessibility and inclusion for disabled passengers. For Direct Access, we believe this is not only a question of compliance or public image— but a strategic opportunity to lead the way in delivering a
In the realm of stadium facilities management, accessibility for spectators, staff, and players is an area of increasing focus that aims to ensure equitable access for all. While modern stadiums are designed to facilitate physical access, disability is diverse, encompassing a range of needs. Direct Access has demonstrated a range of
Throughout history, buildings have generally been constructed to accommodate the needs of people without disabilities while ignoring those who do have them. As low as building standards can and have often been, however, the idea that care homes might not be truly accessible to residents is a worrying one for
Sensory accessibility is a crucial facet which we advocate to be embedded into every element of our built environment. It ensures that all individuals, regardless of their condition, can fully participate in their environment, whether that’s at school, college, the workplace, or in leisure settings. Yet within our particular line of
World Engineering Day 2025 is about celebrating the contributions of engineers in shaping a sustainable future. This year’s theme, “Shaping Our Sustainable Future Through Engineering,” highlights the essential role that engineering plays in achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) At Direct Access, our team of dedicated access
Ever since the pandemic occurred half a decade ago, the way we use our homes has shifted significantly. That is to say, in addition to being our nest, the global shift in attitude towards working from home has transformed our personal sanctuaries into workplaces. For disabled people across the country, this
As of 6 January 2025, Greater Manchester has fully returned its bus services to public control, representing a major change in the region’s transport strategy and the first time in 40 years that a major transit system in England will operate in such a way. And with this change, increased
Accessible technology is a growing trend among businesses that are helping to change the lives of disabled people for the better. Whether adapting their premises with an evolved understanding of individual access requirements, to the adoption of inclusive policies, to greater diversity levels among the workforce, perhaps the most influential
Barclays Bank is currently facing scrutiny for its recent advertisements promoting paid “mystery shoppers” to feign blindness in order to identify accessibility issues at their walk-in branches. Shoppers were invited to tell staff members that their eyesight was “becoming increasingly blurry and/or spotty and the situation is not going to
Offering accessibility as a service has been a cornerstone of our work for nearly two decades. Our philosophy is straightforward: we help organisations—whether public or private—move away from exclusive design practices and become more inclusive for people with disabilities. But the real challenge lies in recognising that accessibility is not
Opinion: Decades of Delay – Why North Yorkshire’s Accessible Taxi Debate Demands Real Solutions North Yorkshire’s proposed changes to taxi licensing rules have sparked a heated debate. The council aims to increase the number of wheelchair-accessible vehicles (WAVs) to comply with equality legislation, but the plan has drawn sharp criticism
United Kingdom
| Pepper House, Market Street, Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 5DQ. |
Ireland
| 77 Camden Street Lower, Dublin, D02 XE80. |
Explore our free guides on accessibility and inclusion, crafted by our experts. Click Here.