Published 7 November 2026
Quick answer: A RADAR key opens locked accessible toilets that are part of the National Key Scheme, which Disability Rights UK runs. Disability Rights UK sells the official key online; on 7 November 2026 it was £5 VAT-free for eligible disabled people, plus a postage contribution. Changing Places toilets are different: they are larger rooms with a ceiling hoist, an adult-sized changing bench and space for two carers. You can find them on the Changing Places map.
Last checked: 7 November 2026. What we checked: Disability Rights UK’s Radar key pages and shop, the Changing Places Consortium website, GOV.UK’s Changing Places consultation outcome and programme prospectuses, the 2020 circular letter on Approved Document M, the Welsh Government’s 2023 amendment to Approved Document M, the Scottish Government’s Planning Circular 1/2020, and council pages from Highland and Southampton.
Who this is for: Anyone who needs an accessible toilet away from home, and carers of people who need a hoist or changing bench.
What a RADAR key is
Many accessible toilets in the UK are kept locked to stop misuse. The National Key Scheme (NKS) lets disabled people open them without having to find a member of staff. Disability Rights UK says the scheme started in 1981, set up by Radar with Nicholls & Clarke, who make the lock. It says the key opens more than 9,000 accessible public toilets across the UK.
You will find NKS locks in places such as shopping centres, pubs, cafés, department stores, and bus and train stations. Not every accessible toilet uses one.
Who can have a RADAR key
Disability Rights UK’s shop says the key is for people who need these toilets because of a disability or health condition. The shop page does not ask for proof such as a Blue Badge. If you buy VAT-free, you make a declaration that you are eligible for VAT relief and that the key is for your own personal and domestic use. Organisations such as care homes pay VAT.
A key can help people with bowel or bladder conditions as well as wheelchair users. If continence is the main reason you need quick access, our guide to incontinence products and support and our roundup of incontinence aids may also help when you are out.
How to buy a genuine key, and the price
Buy from Disability Rights UK’s online shop, which describes its key as the official and only genuine Radar key. You can also phone; Highland Council lists Disability Rights UK’s number as 020 7250 8191 during office hours.
| Item (Disability Rights UK shop, checked 7 November 2026) | Price |
|---|---|
| Radar key, VAT-free for eligible individuals | £5.00 |
| Radar key, with VAT | £6.00 |
| Postage contribution | £1.75 per order |
The shop says it aims to deliver within 10 working days. Orders of nine or more keys go through Nicholls & Clarke. Prices can change, so check the shop before you order.
Some councils also supply keys. Middlesbrough Council, for example, sells them through an online application and states that a key costs £3 (checked 7 November 2026). Prices and eligibility rules vary, so ask your own council’s customer services.
Avoid fake keys
Disability Rights UK asks people not to buy cheap copies, warning they may not work or may break in the lock. It also asks people not to buy from companies or private sellers that use the Radar name or its logo. A broken key stuck in a lock can put a toilet out of use for everyone. Disability Rights UK says money from genuine key sales funds its helplines, factsheets and campaigning.
Finding RADAR toilets
Ask the venue or check your council’s public toilets page. Southampton City Council’s page, for example, points readers to Disability Rights UK for keys and to the national Changing Places map.
What a Changing Places toilet is
A standard accessible toilet works well for many disabled people who can use the toilet on their own or with light help. It does not work for people who need to be lifted, changed lying down, or helped by two carers. GOV.UK’s Changing Places programme prospectus says standard accessible toilets have no specialist equipment and no room for a wheelchair plus carers.
Changing Places toilets fill that gap. The Changing Places Consortium describes these features:
- a ceiling track hoist, so carers do not have to lift by hand
- a height-adjustable, adult-sized changing bench
- at least 12 square metres of space for the user, a wheelchair and up to two carers
- a toilet set out from the wall (peninsular) with grab rails and drop-down support rails on both sides
The consortium says Changing Places toilets should be provided as well as standard accessible toilets, not in place of them. It lists people with profound and multiple learning disabilities, spinal injuries, muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis among those who need them. PAMIS, a Dundee charity, now chairs the consortium; Muscular Dystrophy UK co-chaired it until March 2025.
Changing Places and standard accessible toilets compared
| Feature | Standard accessible toilet | Changing Places toilet |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is designed for | Disabled people who can use the toilet independently or with light help | People who need a hoist, a bench to be changed lying down, or up to two carers |
| Space | Not designed for a wheelchair plus carers | At least 12 square metres |
| Hoist | No | Ceiling track hoist |
| Changing bench | No | Height-adjustable, adult-sized bench |
| Toilet position | Varies | Peninsular, with support from both sides |
| Locked? | Many use an NKS lock | Varies by venue; check the map listing |
How to find a Changing Places toilet
Use the official map on the Changing Places website at changing-places.org/find. On 7 November 2026 its homepage said 2,707 active Changing Places toilets were registered. Check the listing for opening hours and how to get in, because some are inside venues that close in the evening, and some are locked. Phoning ahead on the day is worth it: hoists can be out of action for servicing or repair.
If you use a hoist at home, ask your occupational therapist whether you should bring your own sling, and which type suits you. For more on equipment, see our guide to mobility hoists for home.
What the building rules say
The law now requires Changing Places toilets in some new large buildings, but the rules differ by nation.
| Nation | Rule | Applies from | Example thresholds |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | Approved Document M, Volume 2 (Building Regulations) | 1 January 2021, for new buildings and some changes of use | Assembly and entertainment buildings for 350 or more people; retail of 2,500 m² or more; shopping centres of 30,000 m² or more; sport and leisure over 5,000 m²; hospitals and primary care centres |
| Wales | Approved Document M (Wales), amended | 3 January 2023 | Retail of 5,000 m² or more; assembly and entertainment for 1,000 or more people; cinemas, theatres and concert halls for 350 or more; hospitals |
| Scotland | Planning condition under Planning Circular 1/2020 | Planning applications made on or after 18 May 2020 | Listed new buildings with a relevant floor area over 5,000 m² or capacity over 1,000 people |
The table covers England, Wales and Scotland; we did not find an equivalent rule for Northern Ireland in the sources we checked. These rules apply to new buildings and qualifying building work. They do not require existing buildings to add one, and transitional rules exempt projects already in the system when the rules began.
England also had a government Changing Places Fund of up to £30 million over three financial years from 2021/22, open only to eligible councils. GOV.UK shows the fund closed on 31 March 2025 and the prospectus was withdrawn on 3 April 2025.
Space to Change toilets
Some venues advertise “Space to Change” rooms. We found no official definition in the sources we checked, so ask the venue exactly what equipment the room has (hoist, adult changing bench, space for carers) before you rely on it.
Planning a day out
- Check the map and phone ahead. Confirm the Changing Places toilet is open and the hoist works.
- Carry your RADAR key on a keyring you will notice, and a spare if you rely on it.
- Pack a toilet kit: sling (if you use one), wipes, pads, a change of clothes and disposal bags. A travel urinal can help on long car journeys.
- Plan parking. If you hold a Blue Badge, check where the accessible bays are. Our guide explains how the Blue Badge scheme works.
- Check your chair fits. Our guide to wheelchair widths and door sizes helps you compare your chair with a venue’s stated door widths.
- Build in time. Using a hoist and changing bench takes longer than a standard toilet stop.
For more ideas, read our tips for travelling with a wheelchair before you set off.
This guide is general information. If you are unsure which equipment or sling is safe for you, ask your occupational therapist or GP.
What to do next
- Order a genuine RADAR key from Disability Rights UK’s shop and allow up to 10 working days for delivery.
- Do not buy cheap copies sold under the Radar name by other sellers.
- Bookmark the Changing Places map at changing-places.org/find on your phone.
- Before a trip, check the listing and phone the venue to confirm the toilet and hoist are working.
- Ask your occupational therapist which sling to carry if you need a hoist.
- If a Changing Places toilet is out of order, tell the venue and the consortium so the listing can be updated.
Frequently asked questions
Can anyone buy a RADAR key?
Disability Rights UK’s shop says the key is for people who need accessible toilets because of a disability or health condition. You do not need to show proof such as a Blue Badge. If you buy VAT-free, you declare you are eligible for VAT relief and the key is for your own use. Organisations buying keys pay VAT.
How much does a RADAR key cost?
On 7 November 2026, Disability Rights UK’s shop listed the key at £5.00 VAT-free for eligible individuals, or £6.00 with VAT, plus a £1.75 postage contribution per order. Prices may change, so check the shop before ordering. Disability Rights UK says money from genuine keys funds its advice and campaigning.
Do RADAR keys work in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
Disability Rights UK says the key opens more than 9,000 accessible public toilets across the UK. The scheme is national, so the same key fits NKS locks in every nation. Not every accessible toilet uses an NKS lock, so you may still need to ask staff in some venues.
Do I need a RADAR key for a Changing Places toilet?
Sometimes. Disability Rights UK’s Radar key page refers to registered Changing Places toilets alongside NKS toilets, but access still varies by venue, and some rooms sit inside buildings with their own opening hours. Check the listing on the Changing Places map, carry your key and phone ahead.
What equipment does a Changing Places toilet have?
The Changing Places Consortium says each has a ceiling track hoist, a height-adjustable adult-sized changing bench, at least 12 square metres of space for the user and up to two carers, and a peninsular toilet with grab rails and drop-down rails on both sides. Ask your occupational therapist whether to bring your own sling.
Do new buildings have to include a Changing Places toilet?
Some do. In England, Approved Document M has required them in certain large new public buildings since 1 January 2021. Wales brought in a similar rule from 3 January 2023, and Scotland uses planning conditions for applications made from 18 May 2020. Existing buildings are not required to add one.
Are RADAR keys sold on Amazon or eBay genuine?
Disability Rights UK says its key is the only genuine and official one and asks people not to buy cheap copies or keys from sellers using the Radar name or its logo. It warns copies may not work or may break in the lock. Buying from its own shop is the safe option.
Sources
Apply for a Radar key – Middlesbrough Council, accessed 7 November 2026
Radar keys explained – Disability Rights UK, accessed 7 November 2026
- The Radar Key – Disability Rights UK, accessed 7 November 2026
- Radar Key (shop) – Disability Rights UK, accessed 7 November 2026
- Changing Places Toilets – Changing Places Consortium, accessed 7 November 2026
- How did the Changing Places campaign begin? – Changing Places Consortium, accessed 7 November 2026
- What are we campaigning for? – Changing Places Consortium, accessed 7 November 2026
- Changing Places toilets (consultation outcome) – GOV.UK, accessed 7 November 2026
- Circular letter: amendments to Approved Document M (2015), Volume 2, Changing Places toilets – GOV.UK, accessed 7 November 2026
- Changing Places toilets programme: prospectus (HTML) – GOV.UK (withdrawn), accessed 7 November 2026
- Changing Places toilets programme round 2: prospectus – GOV.UK (withdrawn), accessed 7 November 2026
- Amendments to Approved Document M: access to and use of buildings – Welsh Government, accessed 7 November 2026
- Planning Circular 1/2020: Changing Places Toilets Regulations – Scottish Government, accessed 7 November 2026
- Accessing disabled toilets – Highland Council, accessed 7 November 2026
- Public and accessible toilets – Southampton City Council, accessed 7 November 2026
Published 7 November 2026
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