Short answer: Accessible toilets in the UK are for disabled people and people with health conditions, whether visible or not. Many are locked and opened with a RADAR key. Changing Places toilets serve people who need a hoist and changing bench. Venues must keep these toilets usable, with clear floor space and a working alarm cord, and you can report any that are blocked, locked or misused.
There is no single rulebook for disabled toilets. Some rules come from the law, some from building regulations and some from the venue itself. This guide looks at the rules from the point of view of the person who needs to use the toilet: who it is for, how to get in, what it should offer, and what to do when it falls short.
"Disabled toilet" is still the phrase most people search for, but the term most UK organisations now use is accessible toilet, and that is what we call it below.
Where the rules come from
Three sets of rules shape the accessible toilets you find when you are out and about:
- The Equality Act 2010. Service providers and employers must make reasonable adjustments so disabled people are not at a substantial disadvantage. What is "reasonable" depends on things like cost, practicality and the size of the organisation, so there is no blanket rule that every business must have an accessible toilet.
- Building regulations. New buildings and material alterations must meet the regulations. In Scotland that means the Technical Handbooks, checked through a building warrant from the council. In England it means Approved Document M.
- House rules. Each venue decides day-to-day matters, such as whether to lock the toilet, where to keep the key and how often it is cleaned and checked.
Whether a particular shop, cafe or office is legally obliged to provide an accessible toilet is a separate question, covered in our guide on whether it is illegal not to have a disabled toilet.
Who can use an accessible toilet
Accessible toilets are for disabled people and people with health conditions that affect how they use the toilet. That includes wheelchair users and people with walking aids, but also many people whose condition cannot be seen, such as those with bowel or bladder conditions, a stoma, chronic pain or fatigue. Many accessible toilets now carry signs saying "Not every disability is visible", following a campaign by Crohn's and Colitis UK.
Carers can go in with the person they support, and unisex accessible toilets exist partly so a carer of any sex can help. Using one when you are not disabled is not a criminal offence, but it can leave someone waiting who has no other toilet they can use. We look at the etiquette in more detail in our guide on whether regular people can use disabled bathrooms.
RADAR keys and the National Key Scheme
Some accessible toilets are kept locked to stop misuse and vandalism. Most of these use the National Key Scheme, launched by the charity Radar in 1981, which is why the key is still widely called a RADAR key. The scheme is now looked after by Disability Rights UK.
How the scheme works
- One key opens over 9,000 locked accessible toilets in public places across the UK. It also opens some accessible gates in the countryside.
- Keys are sold to people who need the facilities because of a disability or health condition. For individuals, the key is VAT free.
- Disability Rights UK sells what it describes as the only genuine and official Radar Key, so it is worth buying from them directly.
- Some venues keep their own key behind a counter instead, so if a toilet is locked and you do not have a key, ask a member of staff.
Changing Places toilets
Changing Places toilets are for people who cannot use a standard accessible toilet, including people with profound and multiple learning disabilities and others who need help from one or two assistants. They have a height-adjustable adult changing bench, a ceiling track hoist and space for carers.
The key rules from a user's point of view are:
- They are provided in addition to standard accessible toilets, not instead of them, so if you can use the standard accessible toilet, please do.
- In Scotland, regulations introduced in 2020 require them in certain new large buildings, such as large shops and venues, buildings with a swimming pool, hospitals and secondary schools with community facilities. England followed for certain new large buildings from 1 January 2021.
- Older buildings are not automatically required to add one, so they are still not available everywhere. Disability Rights UK lists more than 2,600 registered Changing Places in the UK, and the Changing Places website has a map to help you plan a trip.
What an accessible toilet should give you
The exact room sizes, seat height and rail positions are set out in building guidance, and we compare the English and Scottish figures in our guide to the requirements for a disabled toilet in the UK. As a user, the simpler test is whether the room actually works when you arrive. A usable accessible toilet should have:
- a step-free route to it, rather than being up a flight of stairs or at the back of a stockroom
- a door you can open and lock from a wheelchair
- clear floor space to turn and to get alongside the toilet, kept free of bins, boxes and furniture
- grab rails beside the toilet, including a drop-down rail on the open side
- a basin, soap and drying within reach from a seated position
- an assistance alarm cord hanging freely to the floor, which works and is answered
In Scotland, building guidance for new non-domestic buildings also asks for the alarm to sound different from the fire alarm and to show a visual signal inside and outside the room, so people with hearing loss know it has been raised.
Common problems and how to report them
Many accessible toilets work well on the day they open and then slowly become unusable through everyday habits. These are common problems.
| Problem | Why it matters | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Used as a store room for boxes, cleaning trolleys or high chairs | Blocks the turning and transfer space, so a wheelchair user cannot get to the toilet | Tell staff straight away and ask for it to be cleared |
| Alarm cord tied up, looped over a rail or cut short | Someone who falls cannot reach it from the floor | Tell staff and ask them to release it; mention it in writing if it keeps happening |
| Locked with no key available, or the key holder cannot be found | Leaves people with no toilet at all | Ask the manager to keep a key easily available or use the National Key Scheme |
| Baby changing table left down | Can block the space beside the toilet | Ask staff to fold it away and consider a sign |
| Out of order for a long time | The venue may effectively have no accessible toilet | Report it to the manager or head office and ask when it will be fixed |
A simple way to raise a problem
- Speak to staff at the time. Most problems are fixed quickly once someone in charge knows about them.
- Put it in writing. If it is not fixed, write to the manager or head office using the contact form on their website. Note the date, time and location, and include a photo if you can take one without anyone else in it.
- Go to the right body for public toilets. For council-run public toilets, use your council's online reporting form. For stations, contact the station operator.
- Get advice if it continues. If a service provider repeatedly fails to keep its accessible toilet usable, it may not be meeting its duty to make reasonable adjustments. Citizens Advice Scotland or a disability advice organisation can help you understand your options.
This is general information, not legal advice. Before any formal complaint or claim, speak to Citizens Advice Scotland or a solicitor.
What about a toilet at home?
None of these rules apply to your own home, and you do not have to copy public room sizes. That is a real advantage, because a bathroom at home can be designed around one person and the way they move.
If someone in your household is finding the toilet or shower harder to use, our overview of disabled bathrooms shows what is possible. An occupational therapist (OT) assessment through your local Health and Social Care Partnership is a good first step, and in Scotland your council may help with costs under the Scheme of Assistance, so check with them before work starts.
Want a bathroom at home that is easy to use? Our own team designs and fits accessible bathrooms across Scotland, starting with a free 3D design and a no-obligation quote. Send us a message to get started.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a key to use a disabled toilet?
Not always. Many accessible toilets are left open. Some are locked and use the National Key Scheme, so a RADAR key opens them, and some venues keep a key with staff, so ask if a door is locked.
Who can buy a RADAR key?
RADAR keys are sold to people who need accessible toilets because of a disability or health condition. Disability Rights UK sells the official key, and it is VAT free for individuals.
Is it against the rules to store things in a disabled toilet?
It defeats the purpose of the room, because boxes and trolleys block the space a wheelchair user needs. A venue that routinely does this may not be meeting its duty to make reasonable adjustments. Tell staff and ask for it to be cleared.
Can anyone use a Changing Places toilet?
They are intended for people who cannot use a standard accessible toilet, such as people who need a hoist or an adult changing bench. If you can use a standard accessible toilet, leave the Changing Places toilet free.
