Fair access. Equal dignity. Practical adjustments. Last updated: 12 October 2026.
1. Purpose and scope
Right First Time UK Ltd (RFTUK) aims to provide fair access, equal dignity and an inclusive environment across its public information, digital tools, campaigns, meetings, events, recruitment, volunteering, membership, complaints and organisational activities.
Roles may carry different responsibilities or eligibility rules; those differences do not justify bullying, arbitrary exclusion or disrespect. Fairness does not always mean identical treatment: removing a disability-related or other avoidable barrier can require a practical change.
2. Applicable law and protected characteristics
For services in England, Scotland and Wales, RFTUK considers the Equality Act 2010 and the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) 2026 Code of Practice for services, public functions and associations, in force from 5 August 2026. Whether the association provisions apply depends on the statutory criteria. Employment duties are assessed separately. Northern Ireland has a different equality-law framework, which must be considered where relevant.
The Equality Act identifies nine protected characteristics: age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins); religion or belief; sex; and sexual orientation. The available legal protections vary with the activity and context.
3. Wider inclusion commitment
RFTUK also aims to remove avoidable barriers relating to neurodivergence, caring responsibilities, literacy, language, digital access, poverty, housing insecurity, family circumstances, communication style and lawful political involvement. These matters are not all separate protected characteristics; this is an additional organisational commitment.
Equality means fair treatment and opportunity; equity recognises different practical needs; diversity values different perspectives; inclusion means people can participate with dignity.
4. Discrimination, harassment and victimisation
RFTUK will not tolerate unlawful direct or indirect discrimination, discrimination arising from disability, harassment or victimisation. An apparently neutral rule may unfairly disadvantage a protected group; any legally available justification must be assessed on its facts and proportionality.
Bullying, degrading behaviour, sexual harassment and intimidation breach RFTUK conduct standards even if a statutory legal test is not met. No person should suffer retaliation merely for making a good-faith equality complaint, asking for an adjustment, supporting another person or giving evidence. Protection may also apply because of association with, or perception of, a protected characteristic.
5. Disability and reasonable adjustments
Where the statutory duty applies, RFTUK must take reasonable steps to avoid substantial disability-related disadvantage. For services and qualifying association activities this is an anticipatory duty: common barriers should be considered before a particular disabled person has to complain.
RFTUK will focus on the barrier and what would work; a particular diagnostic label or extensive medical report should not automatically be demanded. The legal test for disability must still be applied where it is material. Where RFTUK owes a statutory duty to provide a reasonable adjustment in services or association activities, the disabled person will not be charged for that adjustment.
6. Examples of practical adjustments
Adjustments may include advance agendas and written information; extra processing or response time; step-by-step instructions; plain language or larger print; a different format; remote attendance; a support person; breaks; an accessible venue; a change of meeting time, procedure or communication channel; captions or transcripts; or an auxiliary aid where reasonable.
These are examples, not automatic entitlements in every case. Effectiveness, safety, cost, practicality, resources and available alternatives may be relevant to whether an adjustment is reasonable. RFTUK should consider an effective alternative if the exact requested measure is not reasonable.
7. Neurodivergence, communication and mental health
Autistic people and people with ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia or other neurodivergent conditions may encounter sensory, processing, communication or executive-function barriers. RFTUK should avoid unnecessary on-the-spot decisions, unexpected changes or telephone-only processes where alternatives are reasonable, and should not assume everyone needs the same adjustment.
Mental-health conditions may qualify as disabilities depending on the legal criteria. Distress, fatigue, slower responses or different communication must not automatically be interpreted as misconduct. Immediate crises should use appropriate emergency or safeguarding routes rather than an ordinary policy process.
8. Requesting, deciding and reviewing an adjustment
A person can ask for an adjustment without using legal terminology, through the coordinator of the relevant activity or via our Contact Us page. They may explain the difficulty, what change could help and any timing need. RFTUK should not ask for unnecessary private medical details.
RFTUK should consider the request promptly, discuss workable options where appropriate, explain the decision in understandable terms, keep a proportionate record of agreed arrangements and review any measure that does not work. A concern about refusal or poor implementation can be raised through the Complaints Policy.
9. Accessible websites, documents and communication
RFTUK aims to work towards WCAG 2.2 Level AA for its websites and digital information, and to improve mobile layouts, colour contrast, keyboard accessibility, form labels, heading structure, accessible PDF text, alternative text and important video captions or transcripts.
Telephone-only contact, inaccessible forms, poorly timed communications and unreadable documents should be avoided where practicable. The public Accessibility Statement explains the accessibility approach, limitations and reporting route. An identified barrier should be reviewed even if only a small number of people have reported it.
10. Meetings, campaigns and events
RFTUK should consider disability, communication, pregnancy, religion, caring commitments and other relevant needs when planning meetings, campaign activities, public events or fundraising. Options may include advance papers, accessible venues, remote participation, rest breaks, appropriate seating and accessible emergency arrangements.
Genuine urgent decisions may be necessary, but artificial urgency must not be used to exclude people who need time or accessible information. Where one format is inaccessible, RFTUK should consider a reasonable alternative rather than automatically refusing participation.
11. Volunteers, recruitment and paid work
RFTUK extends its dignity, anti-bullying and practical-adjustment standards to genuine volunteers as an organisational commitment. Volunteering alone does not automatically confer employee or worker status; any statutory duties depend on the actual legal relationship and activity.
Volunteer roles should have relevant, proportionate selection criteria, with reasonable accessibility arrangements for applications and onboarding. If RFTUK employs or engages paid workers, it must assess the separate employment equality and reasonable-adjustment duties. Volunteer labels must not be used to evade employment rights.
12. Campaign Leaders, members and organisational roles
Directors and coordinators are responsible for appropriate oversight; Campaign Leaders should arrange work fairly, respect agreed adjustments, and avoid equating confidence, speed, travel ability or telephone availability with commitment. Campaigners, volunteers, contractors and others acting for RFTUK must avoid discrimination, bullying and unnecessary disclosure of another person's private information.
Public Membership, subscriber access and company membership are distinct arrangements. Lawful, relevant eligibility and permission rules may apply; equal dignity does not mean every person automatically holds every organisational office or access right.
13. Political independence and beliefs
RFTUK is institutionally non-party political but welcomes people with differing lawful political backgrounds. An individual's political membership does not automatically disqualify them from an RFTUK role. Relevant conflicts must be declared and managed fairly, not used as a pretext for arbitrary exclusion.
RFTUK platforms must not be used for party recruitment, party fundraising or candidate advertising. Religion or belief is respected under applicable law; no belief is a licence to threaten, bully or unlawfully discriminate. Competing rights require a careful, proportionate, fact-specific assessment.
14. Sex, gender reassignment, sexuality and single-sex questions
RFTUK respects the protected characteristics in the Equality Act and aims to treat women, men, trans people, gay, lesbian, bisexual and other people with equal dignity. It will not invent new legal categories or assume that all relevant rules are identical.
Where single-sex provision, privacy, safeguarding, sex, gender reassignment or competing rights raise a specific legal question, RFTUK will assess current legislation, applicable EHRC guidance and the actual service circumstances before adopting or applying a rule.
15. Race, age, pregnancy and caring responsibilities
RFTUK will not tolerate racism or unlawful treatment based on nationality, language background or accent. It should consider plain-language, translation or other communication support when practical and justified. Age-based participation rules need a genuine lawful reason, such as safeguarding or eligibility.
RFTUK must not unlawfully discriminate because of pregnancy or maternity and should consider flexible arrangements around pregnancy, maternity and caring responsibilities. Caring status is not itself a standalone Equality Act protected characteristic, although particular facts may engage other equality protections.
16. Positive action and equality monitoring
Where the Equality Act permits it, evidence-based, proportionate positive action may help address documented disadvantage, different needs or low participation. It is not an unrestricted right to prefer one person over another or to impose arbitrary discriminatory conditions.
Equality monitoring must have a clear purpose and lawful data-protection basis. Participation should normally be voluntary; sensitive responses and small-group data must be protected and not repurposed for unrelated individual decisions.
17. Confidentiality, safeguarding and personal information
Disability, health, religion, ethnicity and other equality information may be special-category personal data. RFTUK will apply its Data Protection & GDPR Policy, identify applicable lawful bases and conditions, restrict access and record only details reasonably necessary for an adjustment or equality purpose.
Safeguarding concerns must be assessed fairly and on evidence, not stereotypes. Equally, safeguarding must not be used as a pretext to exclude someone without a proper reason. Relevant information may need to be shared lawfully and proportionately for safety or legal obligations; absolute confidentiality cannot be promised.
18. Complaints, fair handling and no retaliation
Equality concerns, suspected discrimination, harassment, victimisation, accessibility problems or refused adjustments may be reported through the Contact Us page or our Complaints Policy. A complaint does not need to quote a statutory section or use formal language to be considered.
Where practical, the person complained about should not decide their own complaint. Reports will be treated respectfully, with relevant confidentiality and no retaliation for genuine good-faith concerns. A complaint that is not upheld is not automatically malicious.
19. Responsibilities and improvement
Directors should oversee significant equality risks; activity coordinators and Campaign Leaders should apply these rules in practice. Everyone acting for RFTUK must respect agreed adjustments, avoid discriminatory assumptions, report serious concerns and cooperate with fair investigations.
When creating or changing important forms, processes, digital tools, membership criteria, recruitment or services, RFTUK should review foreseeable accessibility and equality effects. This voluntary approach does not itself make RFTUK a public authority.
20. Parent Contribution Service (PCS)
PCS is operated by Right First Time UK Ltd, not a separate legal entity solely because it uses a different service name. The policy applies to PCS website access, parent communications, forms, support pathways and service decisions, subject to the duties applicable to those activities.
PCS facilitates voluntary parent-to-parent arrangements and does not itself receive, hold or transfer parent-to-parent contributions or enforce statutory maintenance. Practical accessibility should be considered for both parents; sensitive child and family information requires particular care.
21. Related policies, official guidance and review
This policy should be read with the Accessibility Statement, Safeguarding Policy, Data Protection & GDPR Policy, Complaints Policy, Volunteer Policy, Campaign Leader & Campaigner Code, Conflict of Interest Policy and relevant membership or PCS terms.
Official sources: EHRC 2026 Services Code; EHRC reasonable-adjustments chapter; Equality Act 2010. This policy will be reviewed at least annually and earlier after material legal, service or organisational changes.