The Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act combines nine separate pieces of legislation into one single Act simplifying the law and strengthening it in important ways to help tackle discrimination and inequality. The Act aims to make current quality law more consistent, clearer and easier to follow in order to make society fairer. Implementation of the majority of the Equality Act began on 1st October 2010. However, a number of provisions have been deferred (dual discrimination provisions, public sector equality duty, gender pay transparency and diversity data for political parties) and it is not clear whether they will be implemented in the future or not. The Act applies to all organisations that provide a service to the public or a section of the public (service providers). It also applies to anyone who sells goods or provides facilities. It applies to all such services, whether or not a charge is made for them.

The new Act brings together all the discrimination strands to become ‘protected characteristics’ and these are;

  • Age
  • Disability
  • Gender reassignment
  • Marriage
  • Civil Partnership
  • Race
  • Religion and belief
  • Gender
  • Sexual Orientation
  • Pregnancy and Maternity

More information is available from both Government Guidance and ACAS websites: www.equalities.gov.uk and www.acas.org.uk or by contacting RES on 0121 541 1775.