A parliamentary petition is calling on the UK Government to require venues and event organisers to accept existing benefit award letters as evidence of disability or caring responsibilities, rather than making people pay for additional identification cards.
The proposal would allow people receiving Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Carer's Allowance to use official benefit documents when requesting reasonable adjustments. It could also apply to those in Scotland receiving Adult Disability Payment (ADP) or Carer Support Payment, although these benefits are not specifically named in the petition.
Petition Details
The petition, created by Carolyn Cornish, was published on October 22 and will remain open for signatures until April 22, 2027. It raises concerns about disabled people and carers being asked to purchase third-party access cards or repeatedly provide private medical information when attending venues or events.
The petition states: "Many disabled people and carers already have government evidence (PIP, DLA, Carer's Allowance letters), yet many venues only accept a paid for third-party card or require repeatedly submitting private medical data to third-party systems."
It calls for existing government-issued documents to be accepted instead of requiring people to pay for additional cards or repeatedly disclose sensitive personal information. The proposal could affect arrangements for accessible seating, companion tickets and other adjustments offered by venues and event organisers.
Existing Rights Under the Equality Act
Under the Equality Act 2010, service providers in Scotland, England and Wales have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people where they would otherwise face a substantial disadvantage. This can include changes to policies, physical access arrangements or providing additional assistance.
Official guidance on GOV.UK confirms that service providers cannot charge disabled customers for reasonable adjustments they are legally required to make. However, the legislation does not establish a universal requirement for venues to accept PIP, DLA or other benefit award letters as proof of eligibility for every adjustment or concession.
The new petition seeks to address this by introducing a requirement for existing government evidence to be accepted, rather than making people obtain separate third-party documentation.
How to Sign
The petition is open to UK residents and British citizens and can be signed online through the Petitions Parliament website. Petitions reaching 10,000 signatures are entitled to a written response from the UK Government, while those reaching 100,000 signatures are considered by the Petitions Committee for debate in Parliament.
