Barriers for Disabled People in Heritage Sector Revealed

New research commissioned by Historic England has revealed significant barriers facing disabled people working in and visiting heritage sites across the UK.

Conducted by specialist disabled-led consultancy Direct Access, the study found that one in five of respondents had left heritage sector jobs due to health and disability reasons.

It also revealed that, while three quarters of disabled heritage workers said their line managers were aware of their access needs, only a third had been offered workplace assessments. Furthermore, half of respondents working in heritage had received no disability-related training and only 7% of disabled heritage workers used Access to Work support.

The study also highlighted several issues that disabled respondents said prevented them from visiting heritage sites, including:

· Incomplete or poor-quality pre-visit access information

· Lack of diverse interpretation formats, such as British Sign Language, large print guides, and captioning

· Insufficient staff training on accessibility equipment and supporting disabled visitors

· Physical barriers including sites only accessible by car and crowded spaces unsuitable for wheelchair users

Based on the findings, Direct Access has made several recommendations, which Historic England will be looking to help implement across the sector:

·        Heritage employers should actively promote Access to Work schemes to provide better support for disabled staff

·        Comprehensive disability awareness training should be embedded for all staff and volunteers

·        Heritage organisations should establish consultation groups of disabled people to inform accessibility improvements

·        Designated quiet times should be introduced at heritage sites to improve experiences for people with hearing impairments, wheelchair users, and neurodivergent visitors

·        Access guides should be clear, well-illustrated, and available in multiple formats

"This research provides crucial evidence about the real experiences of disabled people in our sector,” said Sean Curran, Head of Inclusive Heritage at Historic England. 

“The findings clearly show that while we've made some progress, significant barriers still exist both for those working in heritage and those who wish to visit historic sites.

“At Historic England, we're committed to using these insights to drive meaningful change across the sector. By addressing these barriers head-on through our Disability Access to Heritage project, we can create a heritage sector that truly welcomes, values, and includes disabled people.”

For further information visit https://historicengland.org.uk/