ePolitix.com - Disability Rights Commission

About Us

The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) was established through an Act of Parliament and opened for business in April 2000. Our broad remit is to work towards the elimination of discrimination against disabled people and to ensure that disabled people secure equal rights in all spheres and sectors of society.

The DRC is committed to achieving full civil rights for disabled people and to doing away with the widespread discrimination that disabled people are regularly subjected to. It provides advice and information to disabled people, to employers and service providers. It can investigate and prosecute where necessary, using the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. The DRC also advises Government on changes to legislation and policy to dismantle barriers and promote equality of opportunity for disabled people.

The DRC has a Chairman and 14 other Commissioners. The DRC's remit covers the whole of Great Britain and we have offices in Cardiff, Edinburgh, London and Manchester. At full strength, we will have 150 staff.

The DRC has identified five key objectives:

To enable disabled people to secure in practice their rights and equal opportunities.
To enable individual employers and service providers - private, public and voluntary - to apply best practice and to meet their legal obligations.
To remove the barriers which disadvantage disabled people in key sectors of society and the economy.
To shift public attitudes and awareness towards lasting inclusiveness and equality for disabled people.
To ensure a high performing and exemplary DRC.