According to NHS Choices, the number of eczema sufferers has been rising steadily in the UK for some years, and now stands at 1 in 5 children and 1 in 12 adults. But can suffering from eczema amount to a disability? Of course, each case will rest on its own facts, but this was the preliminary issue for a tribunal to decide in Glass v Promotion Line Ltd. Glass suffers from severe atopic eczema, which is easily triggered by a range of environmental factors both inside and outside the workplace, e.g. stressful situations or a change in the weather. She has to apply cream every morning to the affected areas, which takes an hour, and then has to wait for the cream to sink in. The tribunal concluded that this was a particularly severe physical impairment which amounts to a substantial adverse effect on Glass’ day-to-day activities, i.e. her ability to socialise, play sport, and even to leave her home. As to being long-term in nature, the medical evidence showed that Glass has suffered from the condition, on and off for most of her life, the eczema is likely to last for the rest of her life and there is an ongoing likelihood of flare-ups, meaning that the substantial adverse effects are likely to recur on a regular basis. Therefore, Glass came within the meaning of a disabled person within S.6 of the Equality Act 2010.
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