Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 consolidated and harmonised the UK’s anti-discrimination legislation, replacing nine major pieces of primary legislation and over 100 statutory instruments. The Act created a unified legal framework protecting individuals from unfair treatment on the basis of nine protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. The Act prohibits direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, harassment, and victimisation in the workplace, when providing goods and services, in education, and in the exercise of public functions. The Act also introduced the public sector equality duty (section 149).

Legal area: Labour law regulates the relationship between employers and employees, including employment rights, workplace conditions, and collective bargaining.

Citation: Equality Act 2010 (2010 c 15)

Full text: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15

Key Provisions

• Part 2: Protected characteristics (sections 4-12)
• Part 5: Work (sections 39-83) - employment, occupation, and vocational training
• Part 6: Services and public functions (sections 29-31)
• Part 11: Public sector equality duty (section 149)
• Part 15: Family property and equal pay
• Section 13: Direct discrimination (less favourable treatment because of protected characteristic)
• Section 19: Indirect discrimination (provision, criterion, or practice putting group at disadvantage)

Significance

The Equality Act 2010 simplified and strengthened UK discrimination law. The public sector equality duty requires public bodies to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations. The Act has been extensively litigated, particularly in employment contexts. The Act remains in force across Great Britain, with separate but similar legislation in Northern Ireland. The Act was amended by the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (removing employers’ duty to make reasonable adjustments to physical features) and the Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2017.