The Equality Act 2010 is a key piece of legislation in the United Kingdom that came into force on 1 October 2010. It brought together and replaced several previous anti-discrimination laws, including those relating to race, gender, disability, age, religion or belief, and sexual orientation.
The Act provides a legal framework designed to protect individuals from unfair treatment in the workplace and wider society, as well as to promote equality of opportunity. It places duties on employers, public bodies, and service providers to ensure that discrimination, harassment, and victimisation are not tolerated.
A central feature of the legislation is the Public Sector Equality Duty, which requires public organisations to actively consider how their policies and decisions affect people with protected characteristics.
Overall, the Equality Act 2010 is widely regarded as a cornerstone of modern equality law in the UK, shaping workplace practice, education, housing, and public services.















