In practice this usually did not happen and in 1996 it was estimated that disabled people were three times as likely to be unemployed as their more able bodied counterparts. In the 50 or so years that these regulations were in place there were only a handful of prosecutions. Several of these were thrown out of court, with the remainder only attracting admonitions and very modest fines. In December 1996 part of the Disability Discrimination Act relating to employment came into force, and the 1944 Act was repealed. The definition of disability within the new Act has been changed and it is anticipated that some people with borderline disabilities may be excluded.
Some provisions remain unaltered for the time being.
The 'Access to Work Scheme' is still available from the Employment Service. This allows for the provision of equipment and communication support for both job seekers and those in employment. Having said that, the DDA puts a duty on employers to make 'reasonable adjustments' so that disabled employees can carry out their work on an equal footing with their colleagues. In view of this it is hard to see how the Access to Work Scheme can remain in it's present form. It is therefore recommended that you contact the Employment Scheme for the latest information.