A new UK Equality Act came into force on 1 October 2010.

It brings together over 116 separate pieces of legislation into one single Act.

The Act provides a legal framework to protect the rights of individuals and advance equality of opportunity for all.

It provides Britain with a discrimination law which protects individuals from unfair treatment and promotes a fair and more equal society.

The nine main pieces of legislation that have merged are:

  1. the Equal Pay Act 1970
  2. the Sex Discrimination Act 1975
  3. the Race Relations Act 1976
  4. the Disability Discrimination Act 1995
  5. the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003
  6. the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003
  7. the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006
  8. the Equality Act 2006, Part 2
  9. the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007

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