ADUK Partnership Card

An ADUK ID card is intended to provide reassurance to service providers and help them recognise a person’s rights under the Equality Act 2010. A person already has those rights whether or not they have the card, and not having the card does not mean they lose those rights.

The person presenting this card is part of an assistance dog partnership supported by an Assistance Dogs UK (ADUK) member organisation.  ADUK member organisations are accredited assistance dog charities*.  They train and support assistance dog partnerships in accordance with established voluntary standards for assistance dog training and partnership support.

A disabled person with a trained assistance dog does not have to carry an ADUK Partnership Card, or any other form of identification, in order to have their legal rights recognised. Therefore the Partnership Card is an access tool. It is not a legal requirement to gain access.

Assistance dogs do not automatically fall under a general ‘no dogs’ or ‘no pets’ policy. Such policies may need to be adjusted to ensure disabled people can access your services or venue. (Equality and Human Rights Commission)

*Accredited by either Assistance Dogs International or the International Guide Dog Federation

All Service Providers have a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 and Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (Northern Ireland) to make reasonable adjustments where necessary  to ensure disabled people can access services and venues and are not put at substantial disadvantage.

This means that, in most circumstances, you should:

• allow the assistance dog to accompany its handler when accessing your service or venue, even if you have a no dog policy in place

• make reasonable adjustments to policies or practices that would otherwise prevent access

• ensure that staff understand that assistance dogs are not pets and should not be treated in the same way as pet dogs

• avoid asking the customer to leave their assistance dog outside, use a separate entrance or access the service in a different way simply because they are accompanied by an assistance dog.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission advises that refusing access to a disabled person accompanied by an assistance dog would be unlawful except in the most exceptional circumstances. (Equality and Human Rights Commission)

Find out more about assistance dog access here – where?

Please note, this information is intended as general guidance and does not constitute legal advice. The application of the Equality Act 2010 will depend on the circumstances of each individual case.