Access to consultations and public engagement

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About this guide

Public bodies such as government departments, local authorities, Clinical commissioning groups are required by law to engage with the public when making decisions which may affect their lives. The Equality Act 2010 requires public bodies to take steps to ensure their engagement mechanisms are accessible to Disabled people.

This is usually done when they develop new policies or want to make significant changes to the way services are delivered. Engagement is often done as a consultation published on the organisation’s website, asking those who are interested to send their views. Sometimes engagement can be in other forms, which could run alongside the online consultation. This includes surveys, meetings, and focus groups. You can read more about the legal duties local authorities and CCGs have to involve Disabled people in decision-making processes in this Advice Note on the Legal Framework for the Involvement of Disabled People.

Go to the online version of our Access to Consultations and Public Engagement discrimination guide (with BSL)

What the law states (PDF document to download)

Download this discrimination guide: Public engagement and consultation (PDF)

What the law states (Easy Read Word document to download)

Download this discrimination guide in Easy Read: Public engagement and consultation (PDF)

Take action

What kind of problem did you experience?

No reasonable adjustments at a public engagement meeting or an open meeting of a decision making body

A consultation process was inaccessible

Write a complaint letter

Take this action as a first step, to raise issues relating to a specific incident or problems experienced over a long period of time

Write a letter before action

Take this action if a complaint hasn't worked and you want to start a court case.

Write a complaint letter

Take this action as a first step, to raise issues relating to a specific incident or problems experienced over a long period of time

To create your complaint letter, answer the questions below and our website will generate a letter for you. Alternatively, you can download and edit our template in Word.

Download this template letter as a Word document: Complaint letter – Access to public engagement – No reasonable adjustments at the public engagement meeting or an open meeting of a decision making body

Public Engagement / No reasonable adjustments at meeting / Complaint Letter

If there were no reasonable adjustments at a public engagement meeting or an open meeting of a decision-making body, such as council.

Use of your information*
Please tick this box if you are happy for us to use the information you provide below in policy responses and in monitoring reports for our funders. All responses will be fully anonymised before we share them. See our privacy policy here.
- Yes, I consent to my information being used for policy and monitoring reports
- No, I do not consent to my information being used
Your name
Your postal address - Line 1
Your postal address - Line 2
Your postcode
Who are you complaining to?
Their postal address - Line 1
Their postal address - Line 2
Their postcode
Date
Choose today's date
DD slash MM slash YYYY
What was the date of the meeting?
DD slash MM slash YYYY
What was the purpose of the meeting?
Describe your impairment and the impact it has on you
[Describe your impairment and the impact it has on you. For example: "I am Deaf. It is impossible for me to understand spoken language without communication support."]
Describe the adjustment you needed to attend the meeting and participate in it
[Describe the adjustment you needed to attend the meeting and participate in it. For example: "British Sign Language is my first language and to communicate with hearing people or understand what is being said I need a BSL interpreter."]
Give details of what happened
[Give details of what happened, when and where. For example: "On X date I wanted to attend an open meeting of the full council where the decision was made about changes to social care support for Disabled people. I wanted to ask a question at that meeting about the impact of changes on Deaf people."]
Describe what went wrong
[Describe what went wrong. For example: "On X date I contacted the local authority to let them know that I would like to attend the meeting and to ask whether BSL interpreter would be present. Just few days before the meeting I was informed that the BSL interpreter would not be provided."]
Describe the impact this had on you
Including inconvenience, feeling humiliated, any financial impact, were you unable to understand information and act upon it? Were you unable to express your views?
[Describe the impact this had on you, For example: "I felt angry, as I was excluded from attending an important meeting which can have a huge impact on many Deaf people. I was unable to put my views across and I was unable to understand what exactly has been discussed at the meeting."]
Describe whether this situation happens regularly
[Describe whether this situation happens regularly]
What would you like to achieve by this complaint?
These are our recommendations, but you can edit these depending on what you would like to achieve.
1. A written apology; 2. A change in your policies and procedures ensuring Disabled people can get communication support to attend public meetings; 3. A commitment from you to train your staff in Disability Equality and their duties under the Equality Act 2010; 4. Compensation for the discrimination and injury to feelings that I experienced.
Can we contact you about feedback?
Feedback is important to us. Can we contact you by email about your experience of using our Disability Justice Project resources?
- Yes, you can contact me about feedback
Email address
Please enter your email address here.

To create your letter before action, answer the questions below and our website will generate a letter for you. Alternatively, you can download and edit our template in Word.

Download this template letter as a Word document: Letter before Action – Access to public engagement – No reasonable adjustments at the public engagement meeting or an open meeting of a decision

Public Engagement / No reasonable adjustments at meeting / Letter before action

If there were no reasonable adjustments at a public engagement meeting or an open meeting of a decision-making body, such as council.

Use of your information*
Please tick this box if you are happy for us to use the information you provide below in policy responses and in monitoring reports for our funders. All responses will be fully anonymised before we share them. See our privacy policy here.
- Yes, I consent to my information being used for policy and monitoring reports
- No, I do not consent to my information being used
Your name
Your postal address - Line 1
Your postal address - Line 2
Your postcode
Who are you complaining to?
Their postal address - Line 1
Their postal address - Line 2
Their postcode
Date
Choose today's date
DD slash MM slash YYYY
Describe your impairment and the impact it has on you
[Describe your impairment and the impact it has on you. For example: "I am Deaf. It is impossible for me to understand spoken language without communication support."]
Describe the adjustment you needed to attend the meeting and participate in it
[Describe the adjustment you needed to attend the meeting and participate in it. For example: "British Sign Language is my first language and to communicate with hearing people or understand what is being said I need a BSL interpreter."]
Give details of what happened
[Give details of what happened, when and where. For example: "On X date I wanted to attend an open meeting of the full council where the decision was made about changes to social care support for Disabled people. I wanted to ask a question at that meeting about the impact of changes on Deaf people."]
Describe what went wrong
[Describe what went wrong. For example: "On X date I contacted the local authority to let them know that I would like to attend the meeting and to ask whether BSL interpreter would be present. Just a few days before the meeting I was informed that the BSL interpreter would not be provided."]
Describe the impact this had on you
Including inconvenience, feeling humiliated, any financial impact, were you unable to understand information and act upon it? Were you unable to express your views?
[Describe the impact this had on you, For example: "I felt angry, as I was excluded from attending an important meeting which can have a huge impact on many Deaf people. I was unable to put my views across and I was unable to understand what exactly had been discussed at the meeting."]
What would you like to achieve by this complaint?
These are our recommendations, but you can edit these depending on what you would like to achieve.
1. An open acknowledgement that you have discriminated against me; 2. A commitment from you to change the way you work ensuring Deaf people can get communication support at public meetings. 3. A commitment to change or develop a policy on the provision of communication support and other reasonable adjustments at public meetings. 4. Compensation for injury to feelings and any financial losses I have suffered as a result of the discrimination outlined above.
Can we contact you about feedback?
Feedback is important to us. Can we contact you by email about your experience of using our Disability Justice Project resources?
- Yes, you can contact me about feedback
Email address
Please enter your email address here.

To create your complaint letter, answer the questions below and our website will generate a letter for you. Alternatively, you can download and edit our template in Word.

Download this template letter as a Word document: Complaint letter – Access to public engagements – No reasonable adjustments for access to Consultation

Public Engagement / Inaccessible consultation process / Complaint Letter

If there were no reasonable adjustments at a public engagement meeting or an open meeting of a decision-making body, such as council.

Use of your information*
Please tick this box if you are happy for us to use the information you provide below in policy responses and in monitoring reports for our funders. All responses will be fully anonymised before we share them. See our privacy policy here.
- Yes, I consent to my information being used for policy and monitoring reports
- No, I do not consent to my information being used
Your name
Your postal address - Line 1
Your postal address - Line 2
Your postcode
Who are you complaining to?
Their postal address - Line 1
Their postal address - Line 2
Their postcode
Date
Choose today's date
DD slash MM slash YYYY
What was the consultation about?
Describe your impairment and the impact it has on you
[Describe your impairment and the impact it has on you. For example: "I am a person with learning difficulties. I find it difficult to understand complex written information."]
Describe the alternative format or communication support you need
[Describe the alternative format or communication support you need. For example: "Written information in an 'easy read' format when straightforward words and phrases are used supported by pictures, diagrams, symbols and / or photographs to aid understanding and to illustrate the text. You can find more information about easy read format here http://www.easy-read-online.co.uk/media/10612/comm%20basic%20guidelines%20for%20people%20who%20commission%20easy%20read%20info.pdf"]
Give details of what happened
[Give details of what happened, when and where. For example: "On X date I found out that you published a consultation document about proposed cuts to social care budget, including significant cuts to learning disabilities team. My support worker contacted you on the X date asking whether the consultation document is available in easy read."]
Describe what went wrong
[Describe what went wrong. For example: "My support worker was told that there was no easy read version and that it would take too long to put the document into easy read. She then asked whether there would be any additional work to engage with people with learning difficulties. She was told that nothing was planned specifically, except general engagement meeting. I put myself on a list to attend the meeting on X date and asked for a copy of all information in easy read. I was told this was not available."]
Describe the impact this had on you
Including inconvenience, feeling humiliated, any financial impact, were you unable to understand information and act upon it? Were you unable to express your views?
[Describe the impact this had on you. For example: "I felt angry, as I was excluded from taking part in a consultation for a proposal which will have an impact on my life."]
What would you like to achieve by this complaint?
These are our recommendations, but you can edit these depending on what you would like to achieve.
1. A written apology; 2. A change in your policies and procedures ensuring Disabled people can get communication support to attend public meetings; 3. A commitment from you to train your staff in Disability Equality and their duties under the Equality Act 2010; 4. Compensation for the discrimination and injury to feelings that I experienced.
Can we contact you about feedback?
Feedback is important to us. Can we contact you by email about your experience of using our Disability Justice Project resources?
- Yes, you can contact me about feedback
Email address
Please enter your email address here.