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<p>No one should be refused access to businesses or services because they use a guide
or other assistance dog.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Under the Equality Act 2010
(the Act), businesses and public bodies that provide goods and services to the public
must not unlawfully discriminate against disabled people, including those with assistance
dogs. The Act places a duty on service providers to make reasonable adjustments to
improve access to premises, buildings and services. This could include allowing the
use of assistance dogs so that disabled customers have the same access to goods and
services and are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled
customers.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Parliament intended the Act to guide the
policies of service providers, including those exercising public functions, as well
as providing legal protection. Failure by a service provider to comply with the Act
by making a reasonable adjustment will mean that they have unlawfully discriminated
on grounds of disability.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>People who feel that they
have been discriminated against can use other provisions within the Act to seek redress
against a non-compliant service provider, including going to Court if necessary.</p><p><strong>
</strong></p><p>This is the case for all the other protected characteristics in the
Act and the Government has no plans to amend this process, which is based on the long-established
civil law principle that it is for an aggrieved person to enforce the law.</p><p>
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