Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Related legal acts

Key definition

Discrimination definition

What does Discrimination mean? Discrimination in legal practice describes unfavourable treatment, particular disadvantage, harassment or victimisation because of a protected characteristic, across employment and the provision of services, housing, education and public functions. The concept is defined primarily by legislation and developed through case law. In England & Wales and Scotland, the Equality Act 2010 prohibits direct and indirect discrimination, harassment, victimisation, discrimination arising from disability, and failure to make reasonable adjustments. Protected characteristics are age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race (colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins), religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. In Northern Ireland,...

Equality Act 2010: Discrimination in Goods, Services and Facilities—Protected Characteristics, Duties, Adjustments, Exceptions, Enforcement and Remedies

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Practice notes

This Practice Note outlines the legal position and offers practical guidance for service providers on their duties to deliver Goods, services and facilities to customers in a non-discriminatory manner under the Equality Act 2010 (EqA 2010). It sets out the Protected characteristics recognised by EqA 2010 and gives practical illustrations of different forms of unlawful treatment, together with steps that can be taken to prevent Discrimination...

Direct Discrimination
Discrimination by association
Discrimination by perception
Indirect discrimination
Harassment
Victimisation
Discrimination arising from a disability

It also considers enforcement and remedies in EqA 2010 claims, as well as the territorial scope of the Act. See also: Compliance with the Equality Act 2010 by service providers—checklist. For information on how EqA 2010 operates in the context of employment relationships, see Practice Note: Liability of employers and employees under the Equality Act 2010...

Protected characteristics

EqA 2010 ensures individuals are treated equally regardless of the characteristics they may possess...

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Annabel Mackay

Baker McKenzie

Annabel Mackay advises on a broad range of employment issues, with a focus on contentious work. She has a particular interest in employment disputes in the financial services sector having spent 18 months on secondment to the legal teams of two investment banks. Annabel is regularly instructed by employers on high value discrimination and whistleblowing complaints with a regulatory aspect. Annabel is ranked as an “Associate to Watch” in Chambers & Partners 2017 and recommended in Legal 500 which describes her as “knowledgeable and pleasant”. Chambers & Partners 2017 reports that clients admire that "she is incredibly hard-working and diligent, and she goes way beyond the call of duty." In addition to employment work, Annabel advises clients from a range of sectors on compliance with equality laws in the provision of goods and services, particularly in relation to the reasonable adjustments duty. Annabel has...

Mandy Li

Baker McKenzie

I am a knowledge lawyer in the Baker McKenzie London employment team, responsible for employment knowhow and training and information on the latest employment law developments and their business impact. Before becoming a knowledge lawyer, my experience included day-to-day employment advisory work, managing and advising on litigation in the employment tribunal and supporting employment aspects of commercial transactions. I was seconded for eight months to the in-house employment legal team for a financial services firm....

Web page updated on 22/05/2026

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