About Access Matters UK

Access Matters UK is a South-East based business established in 1997. We offer a professional and comprehensive service to businesses, organisations and charities that wish to make their services and facilities accessible to everyone.

We provide clear, cost-effective and practical solutions which usually do not involve large amounts of expenditure.

Our auditors are trained and have extensive direct or personal experience of being disabled by the environment.

We keep abreast of the latest legislation, including the DDA (Disability Discrimination Act, 1995 & 2005), human rights legislation and Access to Work initiatives.

We offer:

• Access Audits
• Access Plans for HLF bids
• Access Policy advice
• Building design appraisals
• Access Statements
• Sign and wayfinding surveys & strategies
• Occupational Therapy assessments

These services are always designed to meet your particular needs and budget.

Our Occupational Therapists are all state registered with at least four years experience. We are able to draw on experts in a particular field when required.

Our prompt service incorporating clear, concise reports using as little jargon as possible, has been very popular with clients and funding agents alike.

All reports are personally supervised and checked by senior staff at Access Matters UK.

As part of our Quality Assurance programme a short evaluation questionnaire is sent to each client.

Comments and feedback on the service are always very welcome.

For larger auditing contracts supplementary auditors are drawn from the Register of Access Auditors held by the Centre of Accessible Environments.

Occupational Therapists are drawn from those registered in the Directory of Occupational Therapists in Private Practice.

Access Matters UK specialises in maximising integration both environmentally and socially for people of all abilities.

Since 1997, Access Matters UK has been committed to working toward social inclusion and equal opportunities. We recognise the importance of maintaining cultural identity and aim at enhancing people’s ability to explore and participate in the world around them.

This philosophy is reflected in our Access audits, which assess not only the buildings themselves but also what takes place within them. Our recommendations allow people to become fully involved in the activities for which a building was designed.

A core feature of our working method is in our requirement to hear and take note of the experience of current users of the facilities, especially those with disabilities. We are able to achieve our unique approach through our extensive training and expertise as Occupational Therapists and Access Auditors. We have many years of experience of working with people of all ages with a wide range of physical, mental and intellectual needs.

Access Matters UK pays great attention to the “softer” access issues and our recommendations when implemented make a dramatic impact on the accessibility of a service. These changes can often be made at relatively low cost and achieve immediate results. Many of the more extensive solutions may be incorporated into a routine maintenance plan or during refurbishment