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What is the Equality Act?

The Equality Act came into force on 1st October 2010. The Equality Act brought together over 116 separate pieces of legislation into one single Act. Combined, they made up a new Act that provides a legal framework to protect the rights of individuals and advance equality of opportunity for all.

Preventing discrimination: Promoting equality

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

  • age
  • being or becoming a transsexual person
  • being married or in a civil partnership
  • being pregnant or on maternity leave
  • disability
  • race including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin
  • religion, belief or lack of religion/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


Equality Act 2010 Legislation and summarised at Equality and Human Rights Commission website

National Approach: Success or otherwise for the collection and collation of Protected Characteristics information? 

Report on the Inequalities data audit: Office for National Statistics (ONS) (March 2018)

This recent ONS report taking a first look at the outcome of an audit of UK inequalities data on the nine protected characteristics of the Equality Act (2010). It highlights the differences in quality and depth of detail. The background to the report was:

  • In late 2017, Office for National Statistics began an audit to understand the data that are available on the nine protected characteristics covered by the Equality Act 2010.
  • When the call for contributions closed on 1 March 2018, we had received 50 responses from a range of governmental and non-governmental organisations, identifying almost 400 sources of data.
  • In total we received 50 responses to the audit, 39 from government departments and agencies and 11 from non-governmental organisations, including academics, charities and think-tanks.
  • These responses provided links to almost 400 sources of data in a variety of formats, including articles, statistical bulletins, CSV files, datasets or tables, headline commentary and figures, infographics, statistical releases and web tools. Links to a further 55 websites were also provided.

 

Inequalities data audit: Office for National Statistics (full report)

This highlights the complexity and work to be undertaken to improve at both national and local level the collected and collated information then using this to inform our collective service planning and provisionIf you are interested in participating in these groups, please contact inequalities@ons.gov.uk


What is our local understanding in Wirral?

On this webpage we are collating from a range of known sources the local content that will provide a greater insight for our area in relation to the 9 protected characteristics.

The pages will be under review as we seek further opportunities to enhance our local understanding, and from a range of sources, so do please keep calling back to check for any changes and updates.

Public Sector and Equality Duty

A requirement of the Equality Duty 2010 is for the local council to publish information relating to people affected by our policies and decisions. This asks:

  • who accesses our services?

  • what reasonable adjustments are provided to customers to access our services?

  • how satisfied are customers with our services?

  • what feedback do customers give us?

  • what is the number and type of complaints we receive from customers?

  • do we have different service outcomes for different groups of people?