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Braillito Maps · Accessibility guides

Changing Places toilets: what they are, who must have one and how to find one

A Changing Places toilet is a larger accessible toilet for severely disabled people, with equipment such as a hoist, a curtain, an adult-sized changing bench and room for carers (GOV.UK press release, July 2020). It is not the same as the usual wheelchair-accessible toilet: Approved Document M, the official guidance for Part M of the Building Regulations in England, describes it as a facility for people with complex and multiple impairments who may need the help of up to two assistants, provided in addition to the other accessible toilets (Approved Document M, Volume 2, paragraph 5.6). Since 1 January 2021 (Circular on the ADM amendments, July 2020, paragraph 2), paragraph 5.7(e) of that guidance has listed the new buildings that must include at least one (Approved Document M, Volume 2, paragraph 5.7(e)). This guide explains what goes inside, which buildings are covered, from when, and how to find one before you go.

This guide summarises the sources it cites; it is not legal advice. The official texts are the reference.

What a Changing Places toilet is, and who needs one

Approved Document M sets three kinds of toilet side by side. The wheelchair-accessible unisex toilet is the familiar one, with room to transfer from a wheelchair to the WC (Approved Document M, Volume 2, paragraph 5.8). An enlarged cubicle in the men’s or women’s toilets helps ambulant disabled people, parents with children and people with luggage (Approved Document M, Volume 2, paragraph 5.6). And a Changing Places toilet is designed for people with complex and multiple impairments who may need up to two assistants. It should be provided in addition to the wheelchair-accessible toilets and the baby changing facilities, not instead of them (Approved Document M, Volume 2, paragraph 5.6); a wheelchair-accessible unisex toilet should not be used for baby changing (Approved Document M, Volume 2, paragraph 5.5).

The government’s response to the consultation says who uses them: people with profound and multiple learning disabilities, and people with other physical disabilities such as spinal injuries, muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis (Changing Places government response, paragraph 1). When it announced the rule in July 2020, it put that number at more than 250,000 people, and counted more than 1,400 Changing Places toilets in the UK, up from 140 in 2007 (GOV.UK press release, July 2020).

Without one, the press release explains, families end up limiting what the person drinks, changing an adult on a toilet floor, lifting someone out of a wheelchair by hand, or simply staying at home (GOV.UK press release, July 2020). That is why the toilet is about access to the whole building: a stadium, a shopping centre or a museum without it is out of reach for these visitors, however good its ramps are.

The hoist, the changing bench and the rest of the room

The government response lists what these toilets provide: a height adjustable adult-sized changing table, a tracking hoist system, enough space for a disabled person and a carer, a peninsular WC with room on either side, and a safe and clean environment with tear-off paper to cover the bench, a large waste bin and a non-slip floor (Changing Places government response, paragraph 1). The equipment proposed in the consultation, which 90% of those who answered the question agreed should be included (Changing Places government response, paragraph 43), was this:

Equipment proposed for Changing Places toilets in the 2019 consultation, as listed in the government response (July 2020).
Item What it is for Source
Ceiling-mounted tracking hoist lifts and moves a person who cannot transfer on their own, so nobody has to lift them by hand Changing Places government response, question 10; Changing Places Consortium
Height adjustable adult-sized changing bench at least 1.8 m long; a stable surface for people who use incontinence pads or need help to be changed or undressed Changing Places government response, question 10; Changing Places Consortium
Peninsular WC a centrally placed toilet, with space on either side for carers Changing Places government response, question 10; Changing Places Consortium
Height adjustable washbasin its height is adjusted to suit the user Changing Places government response, question 10; Changing Places Consortium
Retractable privacy screen or curtain privacy while the person is being changed Changing Places government response, question 10
Wide tear-off paper roll and a large waste bin hygiene for the bench and for used pads Changing Places government response, question 10
Wall-mounted shower only in buildings with other changing facilities, such as swimming pools and leisure centres Changing Places government response, question 10
  • What the government said would be the minimum: in its response, the government said the equipment listed in figure 48 of BS 8300-2:2018, an example of the fittings in a Changing Places toilet, without the floor drain and the optional shower, would be referred to as the guide to the minimum equipment (Changing Places government response, paragraph 75). That is a statement of intent, not the text of the rule: Approved Document M itself presents section 18.6, diagram 48 and Annexes F and G of that standard, and the Changing Places Consortium website, as further guidance on layout and equipment (Approved Document M, Volume 2, paragraph 5.6).
  • The shower: the government did not make it compulsory, but advises one in relevant leisure facilities (Changing Places government response, paragraph 76).
  • The hoist: the campaign website explains that a ceiling track hoist removes the need to lift a person by hand, and the risk of injury to the carer and to the person being moved (Changing Places Consortium).

BS 8300-2:2018 is not a free text and we did not read it, so this guide gives no figure from it: the exact positions and heights of each fitting are in that standard.

How big a Changing Places toilet is

The government response says that in England it would require Changing Places toilets of 4 m by 3 m in most of the building types it consulted on, where the building is new or undergoes a material change of use (Changing Places government response, paragraph 5); the press release describes them as large, 12 m², well-equipped toilets (GOV.UK press release, July 2020). For existing buildings, the same response announced ergonomic research into whether a smaller 3 m by 3 m room, 9 m², would work for all users and up to two carers (Changing Places government response, paragraphs 5, 73 and 74).

For comparison, a standard wheelchair-accessible unisex toilet under Approved Document M is 1.5 m wide, and 2 m wide when it is the only toilet in the building (Approved Document M, Volume 2, paragraph 5.10(e)). The extra room is what lets a wheelchair turn with a hoist and a bench in place, and two carers work on either side of the WC. The standard room, measured fitting by fitting, is in disabled toilet dimensions in the UK.

Which buildings must have one: Approved Document M, 5.7(e)

The 2020 amendments changed paragraphs 5.6 and 5.7 to make Changing Places toilets compulsory in appropriately sized buildings open to the public (Approved Document M, Volume 2, main changes made by the 2020 amendments). Paragraph 5.7(e) asks for at least one Changing Places toilet in these buildings (Approved Document M, Volume 2, paragraph 5.7(e)):

Buildings that must include at least one Changing Places toilet, Approved Document M, Volume 2 (2015 edition incorporating 2020 and 2024 amendments).
Building Threshold Section
Assembly, recreation and entertainment buildings capacity for 350 people or more Approved Document M, Volume 2, 5.7(e)(i)
A group of smaller buildings on one site used for assembly, recreation or entertainment, such as zoos, theme parks and venues for sport and exhibitions capacity of 2,000 people or more Approved Document M, Volume 2, 5.7(e)(i)
Shopping centres, malls and retail parks gross floor area of 30,000 m² or more Approved Document M, Volume 2, 5.7(e)(ii)
Retail premises gross floor area of 2,500 m² or more Approved Document M, Volume 2, 5.7(e)(iii)
Sport and leisure buildings gross floor area of more than 5,000 m² Approved Document M, Volume 2, 5.7(e)(iv)
Hospitals and primary care centres all Approved Document M, Volume 2, 5.7(e)(v)
Crematoria and cemetery buildings all Approved Document M, Volume 2, 5.7(e)(vi)
  • What counts as assembly, recreation and entertainment: the note to 5.7 gives amusement arcades, art galleries, cinemas, concert halls, conference centres, further education colleges, hotels that provide function, sport or leisure facilities, libraries open to the public, motorway service areas, museums, places of worship, theatres and university buildings open to the public, or any other building or site open to the public for those purposes within the thresholds (Approved Document M, Volume 2, note to paragraph 5.7).
  • How capacity is counted: from the combined total of the building’s publicly accessible facilities, or as the number of fixed seats where the occupants will normally be seated; Approved Document B, Volume 2 gives a method when the capacity is not known (Approved Document M, Volume 2, note to paragraph 5.7).
  • Hotels: the consultation had proposed a threshold of 100 rooms; the final rule uses a capacity of 350, counted from the hotel’s function, sport or leisure facilities combined (Changing Places government response, paragraph 70).
  • Schools: the note says the Department for Education would publish separate guidance on Changing Places toilets in schools that provide community facilities (Approved Document M, Volume 2, note to paragraph 5.7). We did not read that guidance.

Since when, and which building work it covers

How to tell a Changing Places toilet from an accessible toilet

Signs and booking pages often say “accessible toilet” for both. Before a trip, these questions to the venue sort it out:

  1. Is there a hoist? A Changing Places toilet has a ceiling tracking hoist (Changing Places government response, paragraph 1 and question 10). In a standard wheelchair-accessible toilet, the transfer relies on support rails beside the WC (Approved Document M, Volume 2, paragraph 5.8).
  2. Is there an adult-sized changing bench? Height adjustable, at least 1.8 m long in the consultation proposal (Changing Places government response, question 10). A baby changing table is not the same thing.
  3. Is the WC away from the wall? A peninsular WC has room on both sides for carers (Changing Places government response, question 10).
  4. How big is the room? About 12 m² in a new building (GOV.UK press release, July 2020).
  5. Is it open when the venue is open, and do you need a key or to ask staff? That is not in the rules, so ask.

Toilets for wheelchair users in the United States follow different rules: see ADA bathroom requirements. The rest of Part M, from ramps to lifts, is in Approved Document M.

How to find a Changing Places toilet, and Braillito Maps

The Changing Places Consortium, whose campaign website Approved Document M points to (Approved Document M, Volume 2, paragraph 5.6), runs a map of Changing Places toilets on that site, with a toilet finder and a route planner (Changing Places Consortium). It is the place to look for a Changing Places toilet by name.

Braillito Maps is a community map that answers ten questions about each place: step-free entrance or ramp, wide doorway, accessible toilet, accessible parking, tactile paving, braille signage, braille menu, audible signals, guide dogs welcome and a quiet environment. Each one is answered yes or no, or stays without data until someone knows, and the score of a place is the number of yes answers out of ten.

There is no separate question for Changing Places: a Changing Places toilet counts as a yes to accessible toilet, but a yes does not tell you there is a hoist. So use the map for the rest of the day around it: before you go, look at what each place answers for accessible toilet, step-free entrance and wide doorway, not only at its score. When you find a place whose toilet works for you, add it and mark accessible toilet yes, so the next person finds it already checked. If what a place says is wrong, it can be reported, and a place that gathers reports is hidden from the map. Meet Braillito Maps.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Changing Places toilet?

A larger accessible toilet for people with complex and multiple impairments who may need up to two assistants (Approved Document M, Volume 2, paragraph 5.6), with a hoist, a curtain, an adult-sized changing bench and room for carers (GOV.UK press release, July 2020).

Which buildings must have a Changing Places toilet?

In England, new assembly, recreation and entertainment buildings for 350 people or more; sites such as zoos, theme parks and sports or exhibition venues for 2,000 or more; shopping centres and retail parks of 30,000 m² or more; retail premises of 2,500 m² or more; sport and leisure buildings over 5,000 m²; hospitals and primary care centres; and crematoria and cemetery buildings (Approved Document M, Volume 2, paragraph 5.7(e)).

Since when are Changing Places toilets compulsory?

Since 1 January 2021, for building work in England that had not started, or been notified, before then; work notified earlier had to start by 1 March 2021 to follow the old text (Circular on the ADM amendments, July 2020, paragraphs 5 and 6).

How big is a Changing Places toilet?

The government said it would require 4 m by 3 m rooms in new buildings and those changing use (Changing Places government response, paragraph 5), that is 12 m² (GOV.UK press release, July 2020).

Does a Changing Places toilet need a shower?

No. The government did not make the shower compulsory, but advises one in relevant leisure facilities (Changing Places government response, paragraph 76).

What is the difference between a Changing Places toilet and an accessible toilet?

A wheelchair-accessible unisex toilet is 1.5 m wide, or 2 m when it is the only toilet (Approved Document M, Volume 2, paragraph 5.10(e)). A Changing Places toilet is about 12 m² and adds a hoist, an adult changing bench and space for up to two carers (GOV.UK press release, July 2020; Approved Document M, Volume 2, paragraph 5.6).

More accessibility guides

  • Approved Document M (Part M): Part M of the Building Regulations in England, volume by volume: M4(1), M4(2) and M4(3) homes, and ramps, doors, lifts and toilets in other buildings.
  • Disabled toilet dimensions (UK): the Doc M toilet under Approved Document M: room size, where the WC goes, the rails, fitting heights, ambulant and enlarged cubicles, and Doc M packs.
  • ADA bathroom requirements: toilet height and position, grab bar height, sink height, stall sizes and turning space.
  • ADA toilet height: seat height, distance from the side wall, clear floor space, flush control, toilet paper and stalls.
  • ADA grab bars: grab bar height, length, diameter and wall spacing, and where the bars go at the toilet, in the shower and at the bathtub.
  • Accessible tourist attractions: what to check at a park, zoo, theme park or show: the entrance, the route, rides, tickets, services for blind and deaf visitors, and trails.
  • Accessible travel: your rights on flights in the US and the EU, accessible hotel rooms, and what to ask before you book.
  • Accessibility laws by country: the ADA, the UK Equality Act, the Accessible Canada Act, Australia’s DDA and the EU rules, and what each covers.
  • Accessibility symbols: what the wheelchair symbol means, where it is required and the other access symbols.
  • All accessibility guides

Sources

Every figure in this guide comes from one of these official texts, which we read in October 2026.

  1. Approved Document M: Access to and use of buildings, Volume 2: Buildings other than dwellings, 2015 edition incorporating 2020 and 2024 amendments. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (UK), on GOV.UK, for use in England; GOV.UK page updated 1 October 2024; read October 2026.
  2. Changing Places toilets for severely disabled people to be compulsory in new public buildings. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (UK), on GOV.UK, published 19 July 2020.
  3. Approved Document M volume 2 amendments: circular (changing places toilets). Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (UK), on GOV.UK, 19 July 2020.
  4. Changing places toilets: government response to the consultation. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (UK), on GOV.UK, July 2020; consultation outcome updated 9 September 2020.
  5. Changing Places Toilets: the campaign website and map. Changing Places Consortium, the campaign named in Approved Document M, paragraph 5.6, read October 2026.

Braillito Maps

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In Braillito Maps, every place answers ten questions. One is the accessible restroom: whether there is a restroom designed for people with reduced mobility. It is built by the people who need it, and every place gets a score out of ten.

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