info@directaccess.group
UK: +44 1270 626222
Ireland: +353 (0)15079081
Ireland: +353 (0)15079081
With over two decades in operation and thousands of audits delivered annually, Direct Access is one of the most active and trusted accessibility consultancies in the UK and European market. Our audit work supports central government departments, the Parliamentary estate, NHS bodies, national transport operators, leading education providers across the state and independent sectors, premier retail destinations, and major heritage institutions.
Every audit is fully indemnified and led by NRAC Accredited Consultants applying recognised UK and international standards including the Equality Act 2010, BS 8300 Parts 1 and 2, Approved Document M, and PAS 6463:2022 Design for the Mind. Our practice is a certified Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE), a Disability Confident employer, and ISO 9001:2015 aligned.
Among the Most Comprehensive Audits in the Market
Direct Access audits are among the most comprehensive in the UK and European market. We assess physical, sensory, cognitive, digital, and operational accessibility together as standard, because that is how people actually experience environments. We also deliver dedicated communication accessibility audits for organisations whose responsibilities extend to printed materials, broadcast, and customer-facing information.
Most accessibility audit providers operate from a single discipline. We do not. We assess how spaces work in practice, not just whether they meet a checklist. That distinction is what separates a useful audit from a defensive one.
Why Organisations Commission Accessibility Audits
Well-designed environments reach more people. They are easier to use, commercially stronger, and more resilient operationally. People move through them with confidence, require less assistance, and engage more effectively with the services around them. For organisations, that translates into wider audiences, stronger reputation, better workforce experience, and assets that work harder over their full lifecycle.
Accessibility audits evidence reasonable steps under the Equality Act 2010 and equivalent international legislation. They also give organisations a clear, prioritised view of where to invest next, which improvements deliver the most operational and commercial value, and how to plan accessibility upgrades alongside refurbishment cycles, capital programmes, and day-to-day operations.
Audits deliver:
What Our Audits Assess
We evaluate the complete user journey: arrival, parking, entrances, circulation, lighting, acoustics, wayfinding, toilets and changing facilities, seating, service counters, emergency egress, digital and operational touchpoints, and staff procedures. Recommendations are informed by the Equality Act 2010, BS 8300, Approved Document M, PAS 6463:2022, and relevant international standards.
Practical Reports That Support Implementation
Every audit produces a detailed report designed for action: barriers explained, photographic evidence, prioritised recommendations, achievable adjustments, and a clear distinction between immediate improvements and longer-term strategic works. Our consultants bring accredited technical expertise alongside lived experience of disability, applied through a structured methodology rather than relied on as a substitute for it. That combination is why our recommendations consistently translate into changes that work for the people who use these environments every day, and why they remain proportionate, commercially realistic, and aligned with operational constraints, refurbishment programmes, heritage considerations, and phased capital investment.
Sector Reach
Our audit work spans transport, heritage, education, healthcare, retail, hospitality, public realm, workplaces, housing, and international mega-event projects. We deliver across the UK and Europe, with international capability extending to the United States, the Middle East, and beyond.
Accessibility as a Long-Term Capability
Accessibility is rarely a single project. For most organisations it is a continuous responsibility shaped by ageing estates, refurbishment cycles, changing legislation, and the realities of operating environments that were not originally designed with full accessibility in mind.
The organisations that get the most from accessibility treat it as a managed capability rather than a reactive task. Whether the starting point is a new development, a heritage estate, a phased refurbishment, or a portfolio with accumulated accessibility debt, the right audit framework gives organisations a clear, prioritised, and commercially realistic plan to improve usability over time.
We help organisations move from reactive accessibility management toward long-term accessibility performance, whatever the starting point.
