The following letter templates or leaflets are available to download or edit as per your personal circumstances, when you have been challenged due to not wearing a mask, asked to provide medical reasons or your disability as evidence of your exemption from wearing face coverings, refused entry or refused essential services because of this, or otherwise discriminated against.
Most of the legal contraventions around this issue in the UK refer to the Equality Act 2010, but also to Health and Safety regulations such as Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
Face covering exemptions flyers and badges
Save Our Rights UK Equality Act 2010 face mask discrimination flyer: Download it here (originals are at: https://saveourrights.uk/resources/flyers/ ).
Unlawful Face Coverings Leaflet – on grounds of discrimination according to Equality Act 2010 UK and/or no Risk Assessments carried out: Download it here (Leaflet is an A4 size PDF file. Once printed, fold it in half down middle line and laminate. Can then be carried with you to show to shops, companies, employers, etc, if they demand evidence of your mask-wearing exemption or refuse you entry for not wearing a face covering).
The UK Government’s own statement on exemptions to face coverings and no need to carry any identification of exemptions (source: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own#exemptions):
If you have an age, health or disability reason for not wearing a face covering:
– you do not routinely need to show any written evidence of this
– you do not need show an exemption card
This means that you do not need to seek advice or request a letter from a medical professional about your reason for not wearing a face covering.
However, some people may feel more comfortable showing something that says they do not have to wear a face covering. This could be in the form of an exemption card, badge or even a home-made sign.
Carrying an exemption card or badge is a personal choice and is not required by law.
If you wish to use an exemption card or badge, you can download exemption card templates. You can then print these yourself or show them on a mobile device. Please note that the government is not able to provide physical exemption cards or badges [or download them here (4 different A7 size badges for printing, folding and carrying)].
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of these templates in a more accessible format, please email publiccorrespondence@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. Please say what format you need the template in and what assistive technology you use.
For exemptions in different parts of the UK please refer to the specific guidance for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Hidden Disabilities charity sells the well-known ‘sunflower’ cards/badges and lanyards, including ‘hidden disability’ and ‘face covering exempt‘ cards/badges, as well as sunflower lanyards: https://hiddendisabilitiesstore.com/ [accessed 02/05/2021].
You can now even personalise your hidden disabilities badge by adding photo, contact details, etc: https://hiddendisabilitiesstore.com/make-it-your-own
Face coverings discrimination letter templates
Kester Disability Rights charity – Information about face mask discrimination and challenges: https://www.disabilityrights.org.uk/news/, including the first UK face coverings discrimination case in which the victim was paid out £7,000 in settlement: https://www.disabilityrights.org.uk/news/page-5 [published 08/12/2020, accessed 02/05/2021].
Kester Disability Rights’ face masks disability discrimination template letter: Download it here [3 pages, PDF file] – original is at: https://www.disabilityrights.org.uk/images/Face_masks_discrimination_template_letter.pdf
Here is the UK Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) advice on how to work out the value of a claim against a business or employer if you’ve been discriminated against: Download it here [9 pages, PDF] – original is at: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/quantification-of-claims-guidance.pdf
If you have any questions about being discriminated against by a store, restaurant or employer, contact the UK Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) here: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/contact-us/equality-advisory-and-support-service
MIRI ANNE FINCH LETTERS CHALLENGING MASK MANDATES:
Miri Anne Finch letters, including letter to supermarket CEOs about their unlawful enforcement of mask-wearing mandates: https://miriaf.webs.com/supermarket-ceos-masks
https://miriaf.webs.com/employer-mask-challenge
https://miriaf.webs.com/mask-risk-assessment
https://miriaf.webs.com/pub-mask-refusal
https://miriaf.webs.com/airline-mask-refusal
https://miriaf.webs.com/masks-small-business
https://miriaf.webs.com/shopping-centre-mask
https://miriaf.webs.com/leisure-centre-masks
https://miriaf.webs.com/exercise-mask-children
https://miriaf.webs.com/council-shops-mask-exemption
https://miriaf.webs.com/doctor-smear-mask
(All letters can be found here: https://miriaf.webs.com/site-index )
Sources, other than those mentioned above:
Important Mask Information from Anna de Buiscuit – specialist in the disability discrimination field (Facebook post here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/613216299617258/permalink/728042104801343 and Twitter thread here: https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1351281524361076739.html )
UK Equality Act 2010 – Section 6 Definition of Disability: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/section/6
UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) – Risk Assessment: https://www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/risk/index.htm
Image acknowledgements:
Subway image by djedj from Pixabay
Coronavirus image Image by Inactive_account_ID_249 from Pixabay