Ref. 28129-50Small firms may be exempt from conforming to the Disability Discrimination Act, but only until October next year. So it is time to find out that being fair is good for business. GARETH BETHELL investigates.

Small businesses, which are currently exempt from laws regarding people with disabilities, will soon have to face up to their responsibilities in the same way as their larger counterparts.

For the time being organisations with less than 15 employees do not have to conform to the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act which sets out companies' obligations towards those with disabilities.

But as from October next year the Act will be extended to include all businesses, large and small.

While this may initially mean an expensive outlay for some organisations in the town, it could be profitable in the long run, opening up a larger market and a wider pool of employees.

With a spending power of more than £45 billion the UK's 8.5 million people who have disabilities is a market that no business should ignore.

They are also five times as likely as non-disabled people to be out of work, leaving a large collection of untapped labour.

Despite this the Disability Rights Commission says that the biggest shake up of consumer legislation is being ignored.

The Minister for people with disabilities, Maria Eagle, has launched the Access All Areas award scheme to encourage small businesses to "go the extra mile" and make their services more accessible to everyone.

Labour MP for North Swindon Michael Wills is keen to draw attention to the developments.

Speaking at a recent award ceremony for companies in Swindon who have promoted disability equality, he said: "The case for giving everyone a fair chance has got to be made to small businesses from the fact that it helps their bottom line.

"Fair opportunities is good for business."

Mr Wills urged local businesses to see people not in terms of their disabilities but as people who can make a real contribution be that to the workforce or as customers.

He added that while some businesses in Swindon have already begun to make progress there is still much more to be done, particularly as far as small businesses are concerned.

He said: "We are lucky in this town because there is a large number of good employers whose attitude towards disabled people is exemplary. But we have got to reach out to smaller businesses."

The change in the law will mean many businesses in Swindon having to make alterations to both their premises and their practices.

As John Green, chairman of Swindon charity Working for Opportunities, said: "It is a matter of changing attitudes as well as making structural changes to buildings."

Despite the initial slow reaction from Swindon companies, John feels that when they do awaken to the potential benefits the outcome will be good for all.

He said: "At Working for Opportunities we feel the removal of the exemption for smaller businesses can only bring a positive outcome. In particular it will increase the employment opportunities of disabled people in Swindon and if services make themselves more accessible it will increase their number of customers."

Mr Wills echoed Mr Green's sentiments, saying: "We know that the key ingredient to a successful business is motivated and committed labour that is the one crucial ingredient and disabled people, who often know better than most what it is like to be out of work, offer it."

Despite the Government initiative, launched in May this year Working for Opportunities, a charity that helps people with disabilities in Swindon find work, are cautious about the number of businesses taking the information on board.

Mr Green said: "Small businesses need to be more aware of the changes they will have to make. People think, "Oh gosh this is all new," but it's something that's been building up for years."

As for those who continue to ignore the massive market people with disabilities represent, John is unsympathetic.

He said: "The law is the law and hopefully small businesses will recognise that and recognise their responsibility to do their bit.

"Hopefully they won't just do the bare minimum but they will embrace the spirit of the legislation."

"Effectively someone like myself who is economically active and has a disability, if I can't get in somewhere because of poor access then that means they lose out on my business and the business of the people with me.

"These days business is a competitive environment, so for those who do not keep up and think of people with disabilities, they will lose out."

Speaking of the removal of the exemption for small businesses Mr Wills added: "This is undoubtedly progress but there is still more to do."