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Equality Impact Assessments (EIA)

What is an Equality Impact Assessment?

An Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) is a process we use to make sure our decisions, policies, and services treat everyone fairly. It helps us understand how different groups of people, such as those with disabilities, older residents, or people from different backgrounds, might be affected.

By carrying out an EIA, we can identify any unintended barriers or negative impacts and find ways to reduce them. This ensures that our services are inclusive and accessible to all. The aim is to promote fairness, remove discrimination, and create a community where everyone has equal opportunities to benefit from local services and support.

The Public sector equality duty came in to force in April 2011 (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010), public authorities are required, in carrying out their functions, to have due regard to the need to achieve the objectives set out under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 to:

  1. eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under the Equality Act 2010;
  2. advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it;
  3. foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.

Prior to the Equality Act 2010, there were 3 separate public sector equality duties covering race, disability and gender.  The Equality Act 2010 replaced these with a new single equality duty covering the following protected characteristics:

Age
The Equality Act prohibits discrimination based on age, including direct and indirect discrimination, harassment, and victimisation. 
Disability
This protects individuals with physical or mental impairments that have a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. 
Gender Reassignment
This protects individuals who are in the process of, or have undergone, a gender reassignment, including those who are transitioning or have transitioned. 
Marriage and Civil Partnership
This protects individuals from discrimination based on their marital status or the status of their civil partnership. 
Pregnancy and Maternity
This protects pregnant women and those on maternity leave from discrimination. 
Race
This protects individuals from discrimination based on their race, including ethnicity, nationality, and national origin. 
Religion or Belief
This protects individuals from discrimination based on their religion or belief, including those with no religion or belief. 
Sex
This protects individuals from discrimination based on their sex, including men and women. 
Sexual Orientation
This protects individuals from discrimination based on their sexual orientation, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, and heterosexual individuals. 
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