Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1970 c. 44 |
Chronically Sick andDisabled Persons Act 1970
1970 CHAPTER 44
An Act to make further provision with respect to the welfare of chronically sick and disabled persons; and for connected purposes.
[29th May 1970]
B e it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
Welfare and housing
1 Information as to need for and existence of welfare services.
(1) It shall be the duty of every local authority having functions under section 29 of the National Assistance Act 1948 to inform themselves of the number of persons to whom that section applies within their area and of the need for the making by the authority of arrangements under that section for such persons.
(2) Every such local authority—
( a ) shall cause to be published from time to time at such times and in such manner as they consider appropriate general information as to the services provided under arrangements made by the authority under the said section 29 which are for the time being available in their area; and
( b ) shall ensure that any such person as aforesaid who uses any of those services is informed of any other of those services which in the opinion of the authority is relevant to his needs.
(3) This section shall come into operation on such date as the Secretary of State may by order made by statutory instrument appoint.
2 Provision of welfare services.
(1) Where a local authority having functions under section 29 of the National Assistance Act 1948 are satisfied in the case of any person to whom that section applies who is ordinarily resident in their area that it is necessary in order to meet the needs of that person for that authority to make arrangements for all or any of the following matters, namely—
( a ) the provision of practical assistance for that person in his home;
( b ) the provision for that person of, or assistance to that person in obtaining, wireless, television, library or similar recreational facilities;
( c ) the provision for that person of lectures, games, outings or other recreational facilities outside his home or assistance to that person in taking advantage of educational facilities available to him;
( d ) the provision for that person of facilities for, or assistance in, travelling to and from his home for the purpose of participating in any services provided under arrangements made by the authority under the said section 29 or, with the approval of the authority, in any services provided otherwise than as aforesaid which are similar to services which could be provided under such arrangements;
( e ) the provision of assistance for that person in arranging for the carrying out of any works of adaptation in his home or the provision of any additional facilities designed to secure his greater safety, comfort or convenience;
( f ) facilitating the taking of holidays by that person, whether at holiday homes or otherwise and whether provided under arrangements made by the authority or otherwise;
( g ) the provision of meals for that person whether in his home or elsewhere;
( h ) the provision for that person of, or assistance to that person in obtaining, a telephone and any special equipment necessary to enable him to use a telephone,
then, notwithstanding anything in any scheme made by the authority under the said section 29, but subject to the provisions of section 35(2) of that Act (which requires local authorities to exercise their functions under Part III of that Act under the general guidance of the Secretary of State and in accordance with the provisions of any regulations made for the purpose), it shall be the duty of that authority to make those arrangements in exercise of their functions under the said section 29.
(2) Without prejudice to the said section 35(2), subsection (3) of the said section 29 (which requires any arrangements made by a local authority under that section to be carried into effect in accordance with a scheme made thereunder) shall not apply—
( a ) to any arrangements made in pursuance of subsection (1) of this section; or
( b ) in the case of a local authority who have made such a scheme, to any arrangements made by virtue of subsection (1) of the said section 29 in addition to those required or authorised by the scheme which are so made with the approval of the Secretary of State.
3 Duties of housing authorities.
(1) Every local authority for the purposes of Part V of the Housing Act 1957 in discharging their duty under section 91 of that Act to consider housing conditions in their district and the needs of the district with respect to the provision of further housing accommodation shall have regard to the special needs of chronically sick or disabled persons; and any proposals prepared and submitted to the Minister by the authority under that section for the provision of new houses shall distinguish any houses which the authority propose to provide which make special provision for the needs of such persons.
(2) In the application of this section to Scotland for the words ‘Part V of the Housing Act 1957’, ‘91’ and ‘Minister’ there shall be substituted respectively the words ‘Part VII of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1966’, ‘137’ and ‘Secretary of State’.
Premises open to public
4 Access to, and facilities at, premises open to the public.
(1) Any person undertaking the provision of any building or premises to which the public are to be admitted, whether on payment or otherwise, shall, in the means of access both to and within the building or premises, and in the parking facilities and sanitary conveniences to be available (if any), make provision, in so far as it is in the circumstances both practicable and reasonable, for the needs of members of the public visiting the building or premises who are disabled.
(2) This section shall not apply to any building or premises intended for purposes mentioned in subsection (2) of section 8 of this Act.
5 Provision of public sanitary conveniences.
(1) Where any local authority undertake the provision of a public sanitary convenience, it shall be the duty of the authority, in doing so, to make provision, in so far as it is in the circumstances both practicable and reasonable, for the needs of disabled persons.
(2) Any local authority which in any public sanitary convenience provided by them make or have made provision for the needs of disabled persons shall take such steps as may be reasonable, by sign-posts or similar notices, to indicate the whereabouts of the convenience.
(3) In this section ‘local authority’ means a local authority within the meaning of the Local Government Act 1933 or the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1947 and any joint board or joint committee of which all the constituent authorities are local authorities within the meaning of either of those Acts.
6 Provision of sanitary conveniences at certain premises open to the public.
(1) Any person upon whom a notice is served with respect to any premises under section 89 of the Public Health Act 1936 (which empowers local authorities by notice to make requirements as to the provision and maintenance of sanitary conveniences for the use of persons frequenting certain premises used for the accommodation, refreshment or entertainment of members of the public) shall in complying with that notice make provision, in so far as it is in the circumstances both practicable and reasonable, for the needs of persons frequenting those premises who are disabled.
(2) The owner of a building, who has been ordered under section 11(4) of the Building (Scotland) Act 1959 to make the building conform to a provision of building standards regulations made under section 3 of that Act requiring the provision of suitable and sufficient sanitary conveniences therein, shall in complying with that order make provision, in so far as it is in the circumstances both...
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