From lifts and loos, to signs and websites, UK businesses could be missing out by not providing basic services to meet the needs of disabled people, research from Barclays Business reveals - a market worth up to £212bn.

Nine out of ten (91 per cent) UK SME business owners say their business does not currently have a lift if there is more than one floor, while 83 per cent say their products and services are not designed to be accessible to all customers, including those with sensory or mobility disabilities. A further 81 per cent of UK SME business owners say they do not have car parking spaces for people with disabilities, while 74 per cent do not have a ramp, and a further 74 per cent do not have toilets that are easily accessible.

Barclays’ research also found that only one in ten UK SME businesses currently provides written communications in braille (10 per cent), and one in ten in audio (11 per cent), while 31 per cent have signs that are easy to read - in high-contrast and in large type.

This is despite the fact that provision of accessible formats is required under the Equality Act (2010).

At 11 million and with a spending power estimated to be worth £212bn, people with disabilities make up a significant proportion of UK consumers and their number is predicted to grow over the coming years.

Yet 18 per cent of SME business owners are not sure what the benefit of making their business more inclusive would be, while 17 per cent say they would not know where to start or what adjustments would need to be made.

For 23%, the costs of making their company accessible is too high, and eight per cent say it would be too much hassle.

However, while the majority of UK companies are not currently applying ‘inclusive design’ - the process of making something more accessible and inclusive - to their business, 77 per cent of SME business owners would seek advice on how to make their business more accessible if they had the right guidance. To help businesses with this, Barclays has created a new website specifically for businesses with information on how they can become more accessible based on its own experience of creating products and services to meet a broad audience with a spectrum of needs.

Using Barclays’ own experience, along with other companies leading the way, the new website provides businesses with insight on how they can become more accessibility confident. SMEs can access a range of resources including training for frontline staff and guidance on how to create products and services that are inclusive in design and thus suitable for people with different abilities.

Karen Thomas, head of corporate and business banking for Barclays in Cardiff and South East Wales, said: “We want to help businesses become more confident on the topic of disability. The research demonstrates a large gap exists in educating and equipping businesses with the right tools and guidance on accessibility and in catering for disabled customers. It also shows the business SMEs could be turning away, simply by not knowing where to start. We have therefore launched a new portal providing helpful tips and practical steps for SMEs on how to become more inclusive.

“We are proud to be making strides in supporting our own customers with disabilities and impairments. From high-visibility debit cards to talking ATMs, we have worked to ensure that everyone can bank with us if they wish and we want to help others to follow this path. Living in a diverse society, the business that caters for the needs of all customers will be the one not only most likely survive, but to flourish.”

Minister for Disabled People Justin Tomlinson said: “Supporting disabled people into work, improving accessibility and unlocking the potential of the purple pound are all priorities for this government. That’s why it’s great to see businesses like Barclays creating shared resources that will help to increase understanding and support among employers and service providers, ultimately creating more accessible opportunities for disabled people.”

Tony Adamson, managing director, Enterprise and Innovation at Leonard Cheshire Disability, said: “We work to ensure disabled people are treated fairly and offered the same opportunities as everyone else. With that in mind, we are delighted Barclays has produced this resource as a demonstration of their commitment to supporting businesses to help them become inclusive and accessible to all.”