Equality and Human Rights Commission

Here are some examples on how the law has changed. A more comprehensive version will be available soon. 

• Strengthening disabled people’s protection from discrimination
• Protecting people from discrimination by association and perception
• Single Public Sector Equality Duty covering 8 protected characteristics. The protected characteristics are:
  
  • Age
  • Disability
  • Gender reassignment
  • Pregnancy and maternity
  • Race
  • Religion and belief
  • Sex
  • Sexual orientation
• Positive Action in recruitment and promotion which gives greater scope to address deficits in the workforce
• Strengthening the powers of employment tribunals
• Strengthening the protection for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers
• Banning discrimination in private members’ clubs

There are further elements in the Act that did not come into force in October 2010, but may do in the future. We await updates from the Government on these developments. Examples are:

• Duty to make reasonable adjustments to common parts of leasehold and commonhold premises and common parts in Scotland
• Provisions relating to auxiliary aids in schools
• Diversity reporting by political parties
• Provisions about taxi accessibility
• Prohibition on age discrimination in services and public functions
• Civil partnerships on religious premises

Elements of the Act that will not be coming into force:

• Dual discrimination: the government has decided not to bring this into force as a way of reducing the cost of regulation to business. 
• Socio-economic inequalities under the Public Sector Equality Duty 
• Gender pay gap information (s78). The Government has said that it will not implement the gender pay reporting measures in section 78 of the Act while it is working with business on how to best support increased transparency on a voluntary basis. The Government will annually review this approach, in order to assess whether this approach is successful and take a view over time whether alternatives are required, including using a mandatory approach through section 78 of the Equality Act.

We have published guidance to help employers, workers, service providers, service users and education providers understand the Equality Act.

Guidance and good practice for employers

Advice and rights for workers

Guidance and good practice for service providers

Advice and rights for service users

Guidance for education providers: schools

Guidance for education providers: further and higher education