dyslexia disability discrimination act (dda)

Jumbled LettersIn the UK, Dyslexia is a registered disability under the Chronically Sick & Disabled Persons’ Act 1970, Education Act 1993 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.



Under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), 1995, it is unlawful to treat a disabled application or employee less favourably because of their disability without justification.

Many people with dyslexia do not actually think they are disabled, but disability takes many forms and disabled people are treated unfairly in many areas of everyday life, including employment.

In October 2004, in the UK, nearly all businesses had to comply with the new regulations. The only exemption to this is the armed forces.

Under this Act, all employers, further education departments and schools had to make provision for students and employees who may be dyslexic.

Severe dyslexia is used as an example in several sections of the Code of Practice and fits the definition of disability used within the DDA (although this has not been tested in case law).