Relevant legislation
This page provides an overview of the equality and diversity legislation that public authorities including those in the health and social care sector have to take into consideration when carrying out their duties.
This page also contains links that enable you to access the full text of the Acts.
Civil Partnerships Act 2004
This Act provides legal recognition and parity of treatment for same-sex couples and married couples in a range of areas including employment benefits and pension rights.
Read the Civil Partnerships Act 2004 on the Office of Public Sector Information website. Further information can also be obtained from the Stonewall website.
Disability Discrimination Act 1995
This Act prohibits the discrimination of disabled people in the fields of employment, the provision of goods, facilities and services or the administration or management of premises.
Read the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 on the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) website
Disability Discrimination Amendment Act 2005
This Act introduced a positive duty on public bodies to promote equality for disabled people. Your organisation’s Disability Equality Scheme should demonstrate how it intends to meet this duty.
Read the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 on the OPSI website.
Read the RCN Disability Equality scheme (PDF 151KB) [See how to access PDF files].
Employment Equality (Age) Regulation 2006
This Act gives protection against discrimination on grounds of age in employment and vocational training. It also prohibits direct and indirect discrimination, victimisation, harassment and instructions to discriminate.
Read the Employment (Age) Regulation 2006 on the OPSI website. Read more on the Acas website.
Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulation 2003
This Directive offers protection against discrimination on the grounds of religion and belief in employment, vocational training, promotion and working conditions.
Read the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulation 2003 on the OPSI website. Read more on the Acas website.
The Employment Equality (Sex Discrimination) Regulations 2005
This piece of legislation introduced new definitions of indirect discrimination and harassment. It explicitly prohibits discrimination on the grounds of pregnancy or maternity leave and sets out the extent to which it is discriminatory to pay a woman less than she would otherwise have been paid due to pregnancy or maternity issues.
Read the Employment Equality (Sex Discrimination) Regulations 2005 on the OPSI website.
Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulation 2003
This directive protects against discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation in employment, vocational training, promotion, and working conditions.
Read the Employment Equality (sexual orientations) Regulation 2003 on the OPSI website.
Equal Pay Act 1970 (Amended)
This piece of legislation gives an individual the right to the same contractual pay and benefits as a person of the opposite sex in the same employment, where the man and the woman are doing: like work; work rated as equivalent under an analytical job evaluation study; or work that is proved to be of equal value.
Read the Equal Pay Act (Amendment) 1970 on the OPSI website.
Equality Act 2006
Importantly, this Act established a single Commission for Equality and Human Rights by 2007 that replaces the three existing equalities commissions. It also introduces a positive duty on public sector bodies to promote equality of opportunity between women and men and eliminate sex discrimination. It also protects against discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief in terms of access to good facilities and services.
Read the Equality Act 2006 on the OPSI website.
Further information can be obtained from the Women and Equality Unit website.
Gender Recognition Act 2004
The purpose of the Act is to provide transsexual people with legal recognition in their acquired gender. Formal legal recognition can now be acquired through the issue of a full gender recognition certificate by a gender recognition panel.
Read the Gender Recognition Act 2004 on the OPSI website.
Race Relations Act 1976
The Act outlaws discrimination on racial grounds in the areas of employment, education, and the provision of goods, facilities, services and premises. Read more on the OPSI website.
Race Relations Amendment Act 2000
This Act placed a statutory duty on all public bodies to promote equal opportunity, eliminate racial discrimination and promote good relations between different racial groups.
Read the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000 on the OPSI website.
Race Relations Act 1976 (Amendment) Regulation 2003
This regulation introduced new definitions of indirect discrimination and harassment, new burden of proof requirements, continuing protection after employment ceases, new exemption for a determinate job requirement and the removal of certain other exemptions.
Read the Race Relations Act 1976 (Amendment) 2003. Read the RCN Race Equality Scheme in RCN Publications.
Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006
The Act seeks to stop people from intentionally using threatening words or behaviour to stir up hatred against somebody because of what they believe.
Read the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 on the OPSI website.
Sex Discrimination Act 1975
This Act makes it unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of sex. Sex discrimination is unlawful in employment, education, advertising or when providing housing, goods, services or facilities. It is also unlawful to discriminate because someone is married, in employment or when advertising jobs.
Read the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 on the OPSI website. View the RCN Gender Equality Scheme in RCN publications.
Further information on all of the public duties can be obtained from the Equality and Human Rights Commission website.