Accessible Toilet Hire — A Guide to Event Licensing Compliance

Accessible toilets at UK events are not a nice-to-have, because the Equality Act 2010 makes them a legal must. A licensing officer checks for them first on a toilet plan. Here is what that looks like in practice.

The Legal Basis

The Equality Act 2010 puts a duty on event organisers, as service providers. They must make reasonable adjustments. Disabled guests must not face a big disadvantage next to other guests. Toilet access is a clear example, since everyone needs a toilet. An event with no accessible toilet is hard to defend, whatever the numbers.

Local councils enforce this at the licensing stage. Under the Licensing Act 2003 and Temporary Event Notice conditions, they often send back plans with no accessible toilet. You must fix the plan before the council grants a licence.

How Many Accessible Units You Need

The law sets no single national ratio. However, UK licensing officers use a common benchmark. It matches the Purple Guide, the industry-standard event safety guide:

• Minimum 1 accessible unit on any public event site, regardless of size
• 1 accessible unit per 10 standard toilet units as attendee numbers scale up
• Larger multi-day festivals should also provide at least one accessible unit within or next to any camping welfare block, not only in the main day-visitor toilet field

Disabled-access units cost from £65-95 for a weekend hire, or £35-45/week for longer construction or event-build periods. That is a small cost against your total toilet spend. Yet it is the line item officers check first.

What Makes a Unit Actually Accessible

Not every unit labelled “accessible” meets the standard officers expect. Here is what to check:

• Internal floor space sized for wheelchair turning circle (typically 1500mm x 1500mm minimum)
• A ramp with a gradient shallow enough for independent wheelchair access, not a lip or single step
• Grab rails fitted at the correct height on both sides of the pan
• A door that opens outward or slides, with a lock operable from both inside and outside in an emergency
• Emergency assistance provision (a cord or alarm) on larger installations, particularly multi-day events

Ask your supplier to confirm these details. If they can’t, get it in writing before you book. Because a marketing label is not proof, check the unit itself. “Accessible” on a brochure and “accessible” in practice are not always the same thing.

Positioning Matters as Much as Provision

Picture an accessible unit at the back of a field. It sits across uneven ground and past a rope barrier. It does not meet the spirit of the duty, although it is on site. Officers and access consultants now check the site plan for:

• A firm, level, step-free path from key areas (stages, food vendors, camping) to the nearest accessible unit
• Positioning within reasonable walking distance. As a guide, it should be no further than any standard toilet block is from the same area
• Adequate lighting after dark for multi-day or evening events
• Clear signage visible from a distance, not just at the unit itself

Your site may have uneven or sloped ground. If so, discuss trackway or matting with your supplier when you book units. It is far easier to plan this early, because fixing it after the council queries your licence takes longer.

Building This Into Your Licence Application

When you send in your event plan, show accessible toilets on the site map. Don’t fold them into a general toilet count, because officers respond faster to:

• A marked symbol for each accessible unit on the site drawing
• A written ratio calculation (e.g. “1 accessible unit per 8 standard units, exceeding the 1:10 benchmark”)
• Confirmation of ground/path treatment where relevant

This one addition answers many sanitation queries. While it takes minutes to add, it can save weeks of delay.

Getting It Quoted Correctly

Tell us your attendee numbers and site layout. Then we’ll work out how many accessible units you need and where to put them. We do this alongside your general toilet count. The quote is priced openly, because there is no gated pricing.

Use our online quote form. You’ll get confirmation within 30 minutes, Monday to Saturday.

Where we deliver

We supply units across the UK. For example, see our pages for portaloo hire in London, portaloo hire in Manchester, portaloo hire in Southwark, portaloo hire in Epping Forest and portaloo hire in Surrey. Each page explains local delivery and gives a clear price guide.

Also, compare disabled-access toilet hire with event toilet hire before you book. Then send us your details through the online quote form and we will reply within 30 minutes, Monday to Saturday.