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Access for everyone

Visitors, one in a wheelchair, explore the Walled Garden at Shugborough Estate, Staffordshire
Visitors explore the Walled Garden at Shugborough Estate, Staffordshire | © National Trust Images/Annapurna Mellor

The National Trust is for everyone. We want our disabled visitors to have a great experience with us, and we are always working to improve the accessibility of the places we care for.  

How we are improving accessibility

We’re continually developing improvements for accessibility which are creative and sensitive to our surroundings. We work collaboratively with disabled people and disability organisations to develop these solutions and welcome comments from our visitors to assist our further improvement.

Access Guide

Our Access Guide gives helpful information about the accessibility of our sites where we welcome visitors. The guide is designed to have accessibility information for all our visited places in one location to assist with planning your visits. The Guide is up-to-date at the point of publication.

We have an ongoing process of improving accessibility information for our places online. This information can be found under the ‘Facilities and Access’ section of webpages for each individual place. We recommend checking the webpage for where you would like to visit alongside the entry in the Access Guide for the most current information. If you’d like to visit a specific place and cannot find the answer to your accessibility question, please contact the site directly.

Video
Video

Creating more inclusive experiences at our places

In this video, join TV presenter, garden designer and long-term member Mark Lane and his dog Dude, as they take a tour around the gardens at Polesden Lacey, Surrey. This Disability History Month (16 November–16 December), discover what the team has been doing to and around the gardens to improve accessibility and create a more inclusive experience.

Visitors walking in the wintry Dyffryn Gardens, Vale of Glamorgan
Visitors walking in the wintry Dyffryn Gardens, Vale of Glamorgan | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

Discounted and free entry

Essential Companion card

The Essential Companion card makes it simple to bring one or two carers or companions with you, free of charge. Show the card when you arrive, and your carer(s) or companion(s) won’t need to pay an entry fee.

It’s in your name so you can bring whoever you like, but even if you don’t have an Essential Companion card, you can still bring carers or companions free – the card just makes it quicker and simpler for you. 

Note for non-members

Please note: if you’re not a National Trust member, you’ll still need to pay for your own entry. 

Links Pass for groups

The Links Pass gives half-price entry to groups affiliated with disability charities, day centres, or registered care homes. Carers or companions with the group are welcome free of charge.

It’s valid at participating National Trust places (excluding weekends and bank holidays).

Some helpful details about the Links Pass:

  • The Links Pass is available to groups affiliated with local and national disability charities, a local authority, currently or previously connected to the NHS, care homes or day centres and other caring charitable groups of this kind.

  • The pass entitles people within the group who are disabled or of pensionable age to 50 per cent off the standard price of admission. Essential companions, or carers, in the group are given free entry.

  • All visits must be pre-booked and are available at the discretion of the National Trust property or General Manager.

  • On applying for the Links Pass, organisers must quote the charity or NHS Trust number and name of their national organisation.

  • The Links Pass is only renewed on request – each welcome pack includes an application form for the following year.

How to get your Essential Companion card or Links Pass

To order your pass or card, get in touch with us by phone, email, or post.

You can call the Supporter Services Centre on 0344 800 1895. The Supporter Services Centre is open from 9am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday and 9am to 4pm weekends and bank holidays. Local call rates apply.

You can email us at enquiries@nationaltrust.org.uk with your full name, full address and supporter/member number and someone will get back to you.

If you prefer, you can also write to us. Our address is: National Trust, PO Box 574, Manvers, Rotherham, South Yorkshire S63 3FH

Other resources available

Our access information is available in alternative formats. To find out more, please call us on 0344 800 1895.

The National Trust Magazine is available on CD for members from the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB). You can order a copy by contacting the RNIB with your membership number.

Visitors walking among daffodils at Dora's Field, Ambleside, Cumbria

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