The equality duty requires public authorities to demonstrate that they are making financial decisions in a fair, transparent and accountable way, considering the needs and the rights of different members of their community.
This is achieved through assessing the impact that changes to policies and practices could have on different protected groups.
The duty does not prevent public authorities from making difficult decisions such as reorganisations and relocations, redundancies, and service reductions, nor does it stop public authorities from making decisions which may impact on one group more than another group.
We have issued guidance to assist public authorities leaders and decision-makers to make sure that the process followed to assess the impact on equality of financial proposals is robust, and the impact financial proposals could have on protected groups is thoroughly considered before any decisions are arrived at.
Guidance on Making Fair Financial Decisions
Assessment of HM Treasury (S.31)
Using its unique powers, the Commission conducted a section 31 Assessment of the extent to which HM Treasury met its legal obligations to consider the impact of Spending Review decisions on protected groups. For an update on the work please see our follow-up report.
Last updated: 19 Feb 2019