Equality and Human Rights Commission

We have the power to advise government on any matter related to equality, diversity and human rights.

Our parliamentary briefings and responses to government consultations are on this page: https://lnkd.in/es4azMnX

Research found two thirds of working women between the ages of 40 and 60 with experience of menopausal symptoms said they have had a mostly negative impact on them at work.

Read our guidance for employers to help support employees in the workplace: https://ow.ly/29Om50YGr2p

Do you run a small business? Here's a useful example from our draft Code of Practice for services, public functions and associations about how to apply the reasonable adjustment duty proportionately.

The reasonable adjustment duty applies to all service providers, but what counts as ‘reasonable’ depends on your circumstances, including the size of your business and your available resources.

The draft Code of Practice gives this example. A small retailer has two shops near each other and conducts an audit to identify what adjustments for disabled people will be needed. One shop isn't fully accessible to customers with mobility impairments, but the other is, and offers the same services. Given the retailer's limited resources to make services in both shops equally accessible at the present moment, it's unlikely to be in breach of the law.

This doesn't mean small businesses are off the hook entirely. It means the law recognises that compliance looks different depending on who you are.

The key question is always: what steps are reasonable for you, given your size, resources and the nature of your service?

You can read the full draft Code of Practice for services, public functions and businesses here: https://ow.ly/pRlh50Z7b7s

For more information about the draft Code of Practice, including our Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Report visit our website: https://ow.ly/20U750Z7b7t

This content is drawn from our draft Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations, which has been laid before Parliament. The Code is subject to a 40-day negative resolution period before it can be made statutory.

Our Human Rights Tracker is a free-to-use online tool that allows you to see how well, or badly, the UK and Welsh governments are managing their human rights duties.

Explore the regularly updated Human Rights Tracker : https://orlo.uk/Mnb1O

The Worker Protection Act came into force in October 2024

Employers have a legal duty to protect their employees and prevent sexual harassment in the workplace.

Our technical guidance will help employers understand their legal responsibilities: https://ow.ly/sF5E50YRPBj

Did you know that charging a disabled person for the cost of adjustments made for them is likely to be unlawful?

Here's an example from our draft Code of Practice for services, public functions and associations.

A library offers a free creative writing class. Materials are provided to everyone, but one participant with a visual impairment is charged a photocopying fee to have their materials enlarged.

The Equality Act 2010 says that organisations under a duty to make reasonable adjustments cannot pass the costs of those adjustments on to disabled people.

If a service is free, it should be equally free for everyone, including any adjustments needed to make it accessible.

This applies to councils, charities, leisure centres, community groups and many others.

Read the draft Code of Practice here: https://ow.ly/mIqy50Z6fvI

For more information about the draft Code of Practice, including our Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Report visit our website: https://ow.ly/RAsF50Z6fvH

This content is drawn from our draft Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations, which has been laid before Parliament. The Code is subject to a 40-day negative resolution period before it can be made statutory.

As part of our Strategic Plan 2025 to 2028, we are committed to strengthening participation in society by addressing access the physical and systemic barriers in our transport networks.
We’ve developed these guiding principles to support policy makers, planners and operators in implementing accessibility at every stage of policy and practice.
Working together, we can ensure everyone has the freedom to connect with the people and places they value most.
Read the 7 principles : https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/our-work/our-compliance-work/guiding-principles-accessible-transport

Making your information more accessible doesn't have to mean a complete overhaul. Sometimes it starts with the basics.

Our draft Code of Practice for services, public functions and associations gives this example.

A museum reviews its information literature and decides to increase the print size and redesign its pamphlets. It also rewrites them in clearer, plainer language.

The result? The information becomes more accessible to partially sighted visitors, people with learning disabilities, and those for whom English is an additional language, all in one go.

Depending on the museum's size and resources, it may also need to go further, offering Braille or easy read versions for people with other impairments.

This is the reasonable adjustment duty in practice. Considering the barriers your printed materials might create, and taking proportionate steps to remove them.

Our draft Code of Practice covers this duty in detail. You can read it in full at: https://ow.ly/Xsir50Z5xVZ

For more information about the draft Code of Practice, including our Equality Impact Assessment and Consultation Report visit our website: https://ow.ly/VSJA50Z5xVX

This content is drawn from our draft Code of Practice for services, public functions and associations, which has been laid before Parliament. The Code is subject to a 40-day negative resolution period before it can be made statutory.

The Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) places a legal obligation on public authorities to consider equality and good relations in their day-to-day activities.

Find out more: https://ow.ly/3iFN50YvjtA

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) has championed human rights for nearly 60 years.

The UK signed up in 1976, enabling people to enjoy a wide range of human rights, including those relating to:

- freedom from torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
- fair trial rights
- freedom of thought, religion and expression
- privacy, home and family life
- equality and non-discrimination

Find out more 👉 https://ow.ly/NGys50YNXTG