The Equality Act came in to force in October 2010. It replaces previous legislation (such as the Race Relations Act 1976 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995).
The Act aims to make it clearer as to what you need to do to make your work place and services fair and comply with the law.
Are you blind or partially sighted?
If you are blind or partially sighted or are looking for advice on behalf of someone with sight loss, visit our information on the Equality Act 2010.
Who does the Equality Act cover?
The Equality Act covers the same groups that were protected by existing equality legislation:
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Age
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Disability
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Gender reassignment
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Race
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Religion or belief
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Sex
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Sexual orientation
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Marriage and civil partnership
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Pregnancy and maternity.
The Equality Act also extends this protection to a number of new groups and also strengthens particular aspects of the law.
What has changed under the Equality Act?
The Equality Act is a comprehensive review and update of rights and responsibilities that have stayed the same, changed, been extended or have been introduced.
What does this mean for me and my organisation?
The changes made by the Equality Act will mean that you will need to review your business or organisation's policies and practices to make sure they comply with the Act.
The duty is 'anticipatory', which means you cannot wait until a disabled person wants to use your services, but must think in advance (and on an ongoing basis) about what disabled people with a range of impairments might reasonably need; such as people who have visual impairment, hearing impairment, mobility impairment or learning disability.
The pages in this site focus on the impact of the Act on professionals and their blind or partially sighted customers or service users.