The Equality Act came into force on 1 October 2010. The Act brought together over 116 individual pieces of legislation into one Act.
The Act protects individuals from unfair treatment and promotes a fair and more equal society.
There are nine protected characteristics defined within the Act:
- Age
- Disability
- Gender Reassignment
- Marriage and Civil Partnership
- Pregnancy and Maternity
- Race
- Religion or Belief
- Sex and
- Sexual Orientation.
We have a proactive approach to equality and diversity and recognise that all the protected characteristics named in the Act are given equal value in the delivery and provision of services; the general and specific duties are a requirement of all public sector organisations as defined in the Equality Act 2010.
