The Accessibility Rating

One rating for any home or stay, anywhere in the world. Stars say how accessible a place is. Silver or Gold says how good the features are and whether they are proven. The owner proves it, never the disabled person.

Stars and metals are never shown by colour alone. Every badge says its rating in words, Gold stars carry a tick, and screen readers hear the full rating, for example “Accessibility Rating 4 out of 5, Gold, evidence verified”.

The five levels

Each level includes everything in the levels below it. Levels 4 and 5 need the level below at Gold.

1 star — Step-free access

Silver needs

• Step-free route from drop-off to the front door
• Thresholds 15 mm or lower
• Doors at least 775 mm clear width

Gold also needs (with proof)

• Doors at least 850 mm clear width
• Gentle ramp (1:12 or gentler) with handrails, or no ramp needed
• Level access to outdoor space
• Accessible parking within 50 m

2 stars — Bathroom and toilet

Silver needs

• Grab rails by the toilet and shower or bath
• Toilet seat 450–480 mm high
• Shower seat or bath board
• Lever taps

Gold also needs (with proof)

• Level-access shower
• Fold-down shower seat fixed to the wall
• Hand-held shower on an adjustable rail
• Non-slip floor
• Basin with knee space

3 stars — Wheelchair-usable living

Silver needs

• Wet room or roll-in shower
• 1,500 mm turning space in bathroom and a bedroom
• At least 1,000 mm clear beside the bed
• Kitchen storage reachable between 400 and 1,200 mm
• Wardrobe rail 1,200 mm or lower, or adjustable
• Switches and sockets between 450 and 1,200 mm

Gold also needs (with proof)

• At least 1,200 mm clear beside the bed
• Lowered worktop 700–800 mm with knee space
• Pull-down or pull-out shelving
• Adjustable or pull-down wardrobe rail
• Hob with front or side controls
• Lever handles on doors and windows

4 stars — Fully wheelchair accessible

Silver needs

• Bed 450–550 mm high, or adjustable
• At least 150 mm clear under the bed for hoist legs
• Mobile hoist available on request
• Toilet with space for a side transfer

Gold also needs (with proof)

• Height-adjustable profiling bed
• Ceiling-track hoist
• Height-adjustable kitchen worktop
• Automatic or power-assisted entrance door
• Space for a carer

5 stars — Inclusive excellence

Silver needs

• Visual and vibrating alarms
• Good colour contrast on doors, edges and steps
• Assistance dogs welcome
• Written evacuation plan for wheelchair users

Gold also needs (with proof)

• Voice-controlled lights, heating, blinds and door entry
• Hearing loop
• Backup power for medical equipment and charging
• Step-free route to accessible public transport
• Independently assessed

Scores by need

A home can be excellent for a wheelchair user and poor for someone who is blind. So every listing also shows a 0–5 score for each type of need, plus a neighbourhood score for transport, kerbs and shops:

• Wheelchair user
• Limited mobility
• Blind or low vision
• Deaf or hard of hearing
• Neurodivergent or sensory needs

Two optional bonus badges

Getting rated only needs the basic listing form and photos. Owners who want to stand out can earn two bonus badges. They never add stars and are never needed for Silver or Gold.

Badge	What the owner does	What it means for you
✓ Professionally Assessed	An independent access consultant checks the property, in person or by live video. Valid for three years.	The strongest trust signal there is.
📏 Fully Measured	Every measurement filled in, every room covered, and a full captioned video walkthrough.	You can check every detail yourself without contacting the owner.

What does not count

• Freestanding shower stools or plastic chairs: they can slip or tip. Seats must be fixed to the wall.
• Suction-cup rails or towel rails: they can come away without warning. Rails must be screwed into a solid or reinforced wall.
• Round twist taps: lever, long-lever or sensor taps only.
• “Accessible” without measurements: door widths, toilet and rail heights are recorded in millimetres.

Proof, and what happens if something is wrong

• Measured photos show the tape measure in the picture. Video walkthroughs are one continuous, captioned take from the street to each key room.
• Proof is dated and expires after 6 months. When it expires, Gold drops to Silver until it is renewed.
• If a guest or tenant reports a missing feature, the listing is paused until the owner fixes or re-proves it. The person reporting never has to supply proof.

Use the rating anywhere

The standard is free and open. Any accommodation website can show the badge and link back to the evidence. Get the badge and the data format.

Measurements follow UK Approved Document M (M4(2) and M4(3)) and BS 8300, mapped to ISO 21542, the US ADA, DIN 18040 and Australia's Livable Housing Design Guidelines. They are reviewed with disabled users and access consultants.