Disabled fans face risks at live events, UK access report finds

Almost all disabled people who go to concerts and live events put themselves at some personal risk to do so, according to a new survey published on 3 November 2026 by Attitude Is Everything, a UK charity that works with the music industry on access. In its State of Access Report 2026, 94% of Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent respondents said attending music and live events exposes them to risk.

The report is the charity's first major State of Access study in eight years, and the first to look at disabled artists and industry professionals as well as audiences. It was funded by Purple Guide Grants and Nimbus Disability. The survey was carried out across the UK; the number of respondents has not been given in the coverage so far.

The findings come from Britain, but the needs they describe are the same at a festival in Belgium, a club night in Athens or a wedding at a country hotel in Austria. For anyone who organises an event with live music, the report is a useful checklist of where things most often go wrong.

What disabled guests told the survey

The most common access needs reported were seating or places to rest (61%), mobility access (60%), support for chronic illness or energy-limiting conditions (59%), toilet access (50%) and provisions for neurodivergent people (43%). Nearly two-thirds of respondents, 62%, said they have had to explain their access needs again and again.

The report also tries to put a price on poor access. It estimates that disabled people pay an average extra cost of about £99 for each event they attend as audience members, £138 for each performance they give as artists and £184 for each professional engagement. The charity's chief executive, Catherine Pymar, described the findings as "shocking, but sadly not surprising", according to Access All Areas.

The business case for hosts

Access is not only about doing the right thing. According to the report, better access for disabled audiences could add more than £400 million in value to the UK live events industry. UK Music chief executive Tom Kiehl said the sector "is being potentially denied £400 million", as reported by Music Week.

The same logic applies to smaller events. A guest who cannot find a seat, reach the toilets or cope with the noise will leave early or not come at all, and their friends or family may follow. Clear information before the day also cuts down on last-minute questions for the host.

Performers are affected too

Because the report covers artists for the first time, it is a reminder that the band or DJ you book may have access needs of their own, from step-free loading to a quiet room before a set. Raising this early in the booking conversation avoids surprises on the day. Musicians on Mucanto, for example, choose the areas where they play and set their own prices, and practical details like stage access are best agreed directly with the act.

The charity says the results will feed into its training, consultancy and its Live Events Access Charter, an online platform relaunched in February 2025 to help organisers improve.

What to do

• Publish access information with the invitation or ticket: step-free routes, seating, toilets, parking and expected noise levels.

• Offer one point of contact for access requests and record them, so guests do not have to repeat their needs.

• Plan for rest: provide seating near the stage and a quieter area away from the speakers.

• Check toilets and routes at the venue yourself, including on uneven or temporary ground at outdoor events.

• Ask your performers about their own access needs when you book, not on the day.

• Brief staff so that everyone on site knows what access provision exists and where it is.

Sources

• Music Week: reported the survey's headline findings, the most common access needs and comments from UK Music, 3 November 2026

• Access All Areas: reported the cost estimates, the report's first-time focus on artists and professionals, and the relaunched access charter, 3 November 2026