Accessibility-reated policy: United Kingdom

In the UK anti-discrimination legislation addresses three areas: sex, race and disability. There is no specific age-discrimination legislation. The main legislation relevant to Older people and ICT is the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. The DDA has no direct reference to ICTs and issues of accessibility refer primarily to physical access. However the implications of the DDA are that telecommunications services should be universally available and should not discriminate against users because of their disability. A number of non-governmental regulatory agencies and pressure groups operate in the area of ICT's to ensure and improve services for disadvantaged groups. The emergence of the Internet as a key area of ICT has taken place largely after 1995. However, the DDA could be used as the basis for regulation and legal action to ensure web accessibility for disabled people. While The DDA has been criticised for being toothless it remains too early to judge its longer-term impact.

The availability of financial support presents an extremely complicated picture, with a range of state and voluntary sector agencies responsible for direct and indirect funding and provision of ICT equipment:

• The Department of Work and Pensions (formerly Social Security) administer a range of social security benefits to support independent living, which could be used by recipients for purchasing ICT's.
• National charities: Individuals can apply to several national trusts and charities. Some specialise in funding equipment and technology (e.g. SEQUAL- Special Equipment and Aids for Living and the AIDIS Trust), while others provide more general support to independent living
• Local charities: Local charitable organisations, such as the Rotary Club, Lions, Round Table, may fund individuals or local schemes.
• Occupational benevolent funds: employers and trades unions often have benevolent funds for former workers.
• Recycling and loan schemes: Schemes for recycling used equipment or providing new equipment at low cost or on-loan have been set up to improve access to computer equipment amongst disabled and elderly people.
• Public access centres: Libraries and learning centres provide free access to computer terminals for access the internet, e-mail and general IT.

Generally speaking, financial support is not governed by type of ICT equipment, although issues relating to the purpose and application of the technology are important factors in determining eligibility. Financial support may be direct (ear-marked specifically for equipment) or indirect (general financial support for the applicant). Direct provision of equipment and services (e.g. medical ICT's) is also significant. Support is often partial and an applicant may have to access several funding sources or use personal funds.

The issue of eligibility presents yet another complex picture, with very different criteria used according to sector: Government agencies generally use strict eligibility criteria with funds ear-marked for specific purposes; Charities are often related to specific disability groups such as blind people.

Network problems still limit use of ICTs. E.g. people who respond very slowly may be timed out. Services that use voice only communication may be unavailable to deaf people.

Inevitably, not all ICT services will be available to elderly or disabled users because of particular impairments that effectively close off their options. However, basic ICT services should be universally available, regardless of disability.