Written by Maia Barker

The Access Card was developed by Nimbus Disability. Through symbols, it shows your access requirements to people at events, venues, and other locations around the UK. The Access Card is recognised as ‘proof’ of your access needs. This takes away the process of submitting personal or diagnostic documents to venues.  

Access Cards are £15 for 3 years, plus an extra £5 if you would like to order a physical card. 

What do the symbols mean?

Standing and queueing – For people who physically cannot queue for a significant amount of time. 

Level access – For people who need wheelchair accessible facilities or must have level access. 

Distance – For people who have significant difficulty moving more than short distances. (This includes wheelchair users that cannot self-propel distances. It doesn’t include powered wheelchairs.) 

Urgent toilet needs – For people who need urgent access to any toilet (could be an accessible or not accessible toilet). For example, for people with continence issues. Everyone who has an access card can use accessible toilets. 

Assistance dogs – For people who have assistance dogs that have been through specific training to support you at events and venues. This is unlikely to include emotional support animals. 

Essential companions – For people who need support from another person. The support must be directly related to your needs as a disabled person, substantial, significant, and frequent. It must be more than what could be expected from a friend or family member. 

Visual information – For people who find accessing visual information a barrier. This could include people with visual impairments who require alternative formats or guidance. 

Audible information – For people who have difficulty accessing or processing audible information. This could include deaf people or those with hearing impairments. 

Miscellaneous – For everything else.   

What is the application process like?

1. You will be asked to complete your details and give consent for data processing. This is because the information you give about your disability is sensitive data. 

2. You will be asked to give an overview of your disability, impairment, or health condition. 

3. You will be asked whether you need to have the registration completed by a certain date. 

4. You will be asked about which symbols apply to you.  

Here is some guidance on whether to apply for these symbols, alongside what evidence you could submit:

Standing / Queueing:  

This symbol is only awarded if you have notable difficulty standing or queueing, and you need an alternative to be able to go to an event or use a service. This symbol can’t be awarded to those who can queue but prefer not to, or wheelchair users who need accessible entry, as this would come under level access. 

Evidence you could submit for this symbol might be: 

• Mobility components of DLA/PIP. 
• A form provided by Access Card completed by a professional who is aware of your needs. 

Because this may be difficult to assess with just diagnoses alone, a member of the Access Card team might contact you to ask some more questions. 

Level Access:  

This symbol is only awarded if you can’t attend somewhere without wheelchair accessible facilities. This symbol might not be awarded if you use a wheelchair, scooter or buggy to cover long distances, but can transfer and move short distances. 

Evidence you could submit for this symbol might be: 

• Mobility components of PIP/DLA. 
• A letter from wheelchair services that confirms your eligibility for a wheelchair or scooter. 
• A letter from a doctor, consultant or health professional relating to the use of a wheelchair or mobility scooter. 

Long distances: 

This symbol is only awarded if you can’t self-mobilise for more than short distances. It is not applicable to those who can mobilise with rest breaks or with another person’s support. 

Evidence you could submit for this symbol might be:  

• Mobility components of PIP/DLA.  
• Medical reports. 

WC urgent toilet access: 

If you need an accessible toilet, please note that this is covered by any other symbol. This symbol will not be awarded if you need urgent toilet access because of privacy, a need for additional space/support, or to escape the sound of hand dryers. 

Evidence you could submit for this symbol might be: 

• Confirmation of a diagnosis with which you need urgent toilet access. 
• Scoring breakdown of PIP. 

Assistance dogs: 

This symbol will only be awarded if you have an assistance dog that is specifically trained to support you at events or venues.  

Evidence you will submit for this symbol will be confirmation by a professional third party such as Assistance Dogs UK that your assistance dog has completed the required training. 

+1 Essential companion: 

This symbol will only be awarded where you would not be able to attend events or venues without support. That support should be more than what could be expected from a friend or family member. Please note that it is unlikely that it will be awarded if you are applying for a child under 16. 

Evidence you could submit for this symbol might would include a demonstration of need. PIP, DLA and AA might not show this, but can be a good indicator of the level of support that you need. 

Accessing visual information: 

This symbol is awarded when information is needed to be presented or provided in a different format, such as larger print. Where appropriate, this can be covered by the +1 symbol if this need can be met by another person.  

Evidence you could submit for this symbol might be: 

• PIP 
• DLA 
• AA 
• CVIs 
• An ophthalmologist report 

Accessing audible information: 

This is awarded when information is needed in a different format or method such as a loop system or BSL interpretation. Where appropriate, this can be covered by the +1 symbol if this need can be met by another person. 

Evidence you could submit for this symbol might be: 

• Audiology reports. 
• Confirmation that you’re a BSL user or a hearing aid user that relies on a hearing loop to access audible content. 

Miscellaneous: 

If there’s anything else, you’ll be asked to ‘describe any other type of adjustment you might need that isn’t covered by the other symbols.’  

If you have any questions or would like more guidance on applying for an Access Card, follow this link for the Access Card Knowledge Base, or if you can’t find an answer to your question, complete this online form. You could also contact Access Card.