Overview

The new public sector equality duty contained in the Equality Act 2010 came into force on 5 April 2011. It imposes some new requirements on public bodies and failure to comply with it could result in judicial review proceedings.

As the public sector as a whole faces up to budget cuts, difficult decisions are having to be made about where the axe falls: less money ultimately means reduced services. But the public sector equality duty is providing an effective route for service users and campaign groups to resist the cuts.

This briefing note for the public sector from Shoosnith considers the following questions:

● What is the public sector equality duty?
● To whom does the public sector equality duty apply?
● When does the public sector equality duty apply?
● What should public bodies do to ensure they are complying with the public sector equality duty?
● What are the specific duties and to whom will they
apply?
● How is the public sector equality duty enforced?
● Where can you get further information and advice?