Equality Act 2010

An Act to make provision to require Ministers of the Crown and others when making strategic decisions about the exercise of their functions to have regard to the desirability of reducing socio-economic inequalities; to reform and harmonise equality law and restate the greater part of the enactments relating to discrimination and harassment related to certain personal characteristics; to enable certain employers to be required to publish information about the differences in pay between male and female employees; to prohibit victimisation in certain circumstances; to require the exercise of certain functions to be with regard to the need to eliminate discrimination and other prohibited conduct; to enable duties to be imposed in relation to the exercise of public procurement functions; to increase equality of opportunity; to amend the law relating to rights and responsibilities in family relationships; and for connected purposes.

    [8th April 2010]

As taken from legislation.gov.uk Equality Act 2010.

The Equality Act 2010 is a piece of legislation that protects you from discrimination. It means that discrimination or unfair treatment on the basis of certian protected charcteristics is agains the law in most cases.

It is against the law to discriminate against anyone because of:

• Age,

• Gender Reasignment,

• Being Married or in a Civil Partnership, 

• Being Pregnant or on Maternaty Leave,

• Disability,

• Race including Colour, Nationality, Ethnic or National Origin

• Religion or Belief

• Sex

• Sexual Orientation

These are called protected characteristics.

You're protected from discrimination:

• at work

• in education

• as a consumer

• when using public services

• when buying or renting property

• as a member or guest of a private club or association

You're legally protected from discrimination by the Equality Act 2010.

You're also protected from discrimination if:

• you're associated with someone who has a protected characteristic, for example a family member or friend

• you're complained about discrimination or supported someone else's claim