What we do

High street charter

A lady guide dog owner and her yellow labrador guide dog in a high street shop.

The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association wants a world in which all people who are blind or partially-sighted enjoy the same rights, opportunities and responsibilities as everyone else.

Pledge your support by emailing guidedogs@guidedogs.org.ukor by contacting Guide Dogs on 0118 983 8364 and signing up to the Guide Dogs High Street Charter.

Treating a disabled person less favourably because they are disabled has been unlawful since December 1996. Since October 1999, service providers have had to consider making reasonable adjustments to the way they deliver services so that disabled people can use them. The duty to consider making permanent physical adjustments to their premises comes into force in 2004.

In most cases, guide dog owners and other assistance dog users do not experience problems and are welcomed in the shops and facilities on the high street. Unfortunately, however, there are still occasions when guide dog owners receive inferior service and, in the worst cases, are even refused access to businesses.

A Guide Dog Owner's Responsibilities

Guide dogs are highly trained and so is the owner, who will have undergone up to four weeks' specialised training in the safe and effective use of their dog. The behaviour of the dog is a key part of this training and it should not cause any disruption.
The guide dog is the guide dog owner's responsibility. In the rare event that a guide dog does misbehave, please don't hesitate to inform the owner who will be keen to control their dog.
If the guide dog owner plans to be a regular customer, the premises may well be included as part of their original training and they will have been familiarised with the surroundings.
If a guide dog owner stands with the dog's harness handle resting on its back, this means that help is required.

Welcoming the visually-impaired customer

An image of a male guide dog owner and his yellow labrador guide dog at a bank.

Approach the guide dog owner or visually-impaired customer and introduce yourself, giving your name and informing them that you are a member of staff. You should offer assistance as soon as possible. Please don't be offended if help is refused. Please don't grab the customer or invade their personal space, as this can be intimidating.

Please do not separate a guide dog from its owner while it is working or distract a working guide dog. The owner's safety could be put at risk.
Offer to guide the customer around the premises and explain the layout. You should offer your left elbow and the guide dog owner will then take your arm to be guided to where they need to go. If there are stairs on the premises, please explain whether they go up or down.
Encourage the use of lifts. Escalators should be avoided as they can be dangerous for guide dogs.
If a visually-impaired customer phones in advance requiring special assistance, please ensure a member of staff is available to meet them at an agreed meeting point to offer support.

Businesses on the High Street

Shops and Other Retail Outlets

Please explain the layout of the premises and offer assistance in finding the relevant department or goods.
Department store customers especially may appreciate being directed to the different departments.
Do offer help with packing any goods purchased.
When asking the customer to settle a bill, explain the amount of money to be settled. Explain the items listed on the receipt and provide guidance, if required, on where the signature is to be written.
If handling cash, please explain the denomination of the notes or coins that you are handing over.

Banks, Building Societies, Post Offices

If help is required, offer to take the customer to a customer service desk, counter or an interview room, as it can be awkward talking to someone behind glass.

When discussing finances, do ensure the confidentiality of the guide dog owner, especially if they are accompanied by friends or relatives.

Restaurants and Food Outlets

Guide dogs do not represent a threat to hygiene in restaurants, bars, pubs or other outlets where food is served.
The customer may appreciate guidance to the table.
Dogs are trained to lie under tables and should not cause any disruption to staff or customers in premises where food is served.
Explain details of items listed on the menu or the daily specials, including prices.
If you have a Braille or large print menu, let the customer know.
When settling the bill, offer guidance on where the signature should go, if this is needed.
If handling cash, please explain the denomination of the notes or coins that you are handing over.
For information about the legal position regarding guide dogs in food serving premises, contact freephone 08000 13 17 17.

Health and Safety Guarantee

Guide dog owners carry a card issued by the Institute of Environmental Health Officers which confirms that guide dogs are not a risk to hygiene. Guide dogs are regularly groomed to the highest standard and the health and condition of every dog is checked regularly by a vet. It is the responsibility of guide dog owners to ensure that their dogs meet the highest standard of hygiene.

Guide dogs are trained to be well-behaved wherever they are taken. If a problem does occur, please discuss it with the owner, who will be keen to ensure that his or her dog is not a nuisance. If the problem is not resolved, please contact your nearest Guide Dogs District Team for help and advice on 0870 600 23 23.

Sight loss is a life-changing event a guide dog can help a blind or vision-impaired person find the freedom and dignity they have lost. Help us make sure this independence is maintained.

Guide Dogs would like to thank all those businesses that welcome guide dogs and assistance dogs.

Chip and PIN cards

By 2005 numerous plastic card transactions in the UK will be verified by customers simply tapping in a four-digit number (a PIN) rather than signing a receipt when paying by credit or debit card. The PIN pad has a raised button on the number 5 as a guide, just like on a telephone. Cashiers will be trained to help customers use the system, which means that vision-impaired customers can now pay with their cards as quickly and easily as other customers.