{"id":1212,"date":"2026-09-08T16:41:15","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T16:41:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.equalityanddiversity.co.uk\/?p=1212"},"modified":"2026-09-08T16:41:16","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T16:41:16","slug":"key-equality-developments-since-january-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.equalityanddiversity.co.uk\/index.php\/2026\/09\/08\/key-equality-developments-since-january-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Key Equality Developments Since January 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>1. Updated Equality Act Code of Practice<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A major development during this period has been the publication and parliamentary consideration of an updated statutory Code of Practice covering services, public functions and associations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The updated Code reflects more than a decade of legal and social developments, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>developments in disability case law;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the legalisation of same-sex marriage;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>decisions concerning protected philosophical beliefs;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>updated guidance on age discrimination; and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the Supreme Court\u2019s 2025 judgment concerning the meaning of sex within the Equality Act.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The updated draft was laid before Parliament on 21 May 2026. Its 40-day parliamentary scrutiny period ended on 9 July 2026, and the draft was published by the government on 15 July 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What organisations should do<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Organisations should review the updated Code alongside their:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>single-sex and separate-sex service policies;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>safeguarding arrangements;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>privacy and dignity assessments;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>disability-access procedures;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>association membership rules;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>staff training; and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>communications with service users.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Decisions should be lawful, evidence-based and proportionate. Policies should not be based on stereotypes, hostility or assumptions about any protected group.<strong><br><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>2. Employment Rights Act implementation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The government has continued implementing the Employment Rights Act 2025 through a staged timetable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Changes introduced from April 2026 include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>wider access to Statutory Sick Pay, including removal of the lower-earnings threshold and waiting period;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>day-one eligibility for paternity leave;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>day-one eligibility for unpaid parental leave;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bereaved Partner\u2019s Paternity Leave; and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>stronger consequences where employers fail to comply with collective redundancy consultation requirements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Further changes are scheduled across 2026 and 2027.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Equality significance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These changes may particularly support:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>lower-paid workers;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>workers in insecure employment;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>parents joining a new employer;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>bereaved families;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>women, who continue to undertake a disproportionate share of unpaid caring responsibilities; and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>disabled people and people with long-term health conditions who may previously have been excluded from Statutory Sick Pay.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Implementation must be monitored carefully to ensure that formally equal rights translate into genuinely accessible rights for workers.<strong><br><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>3. Stronger protection from sexual harassment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Employment Rights Act provides for employers\u2019 existing preventive duty to be strengthened from taking \u201creasonable steps\u201d to taking <strong>all reasonable steps<\/strong> to prevent sexual harassment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It also provides for renewed employer responsibilities concerning harassment by third parties, such as customers, clients, patients, service users and contractors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Regulations may later specify evidence-based preventive steps that employers should take. The government\u2019s implementation timetable indicates that these measures will be introduced through the staged employment-law programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Organisational priority<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Employers should not wait for the final commencement date before improving prevention. A credible approach should include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>leadership accountability;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>specific risk assessments;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>effective training;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>multiple reporting routes;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>protection against retaliation;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>clear standards for third parties;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>reliable investigation procedures; and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>analysis of patterns and repeat concerns.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>4. Gender pay-gap and menopause action plans<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In March 2026, the government launched guidance supporting voluntary gender pay-gap and menopause action plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Employers with at least 250 employees can publish an action plan alongside their gender pay-gap information. The Employment Rights Act provides for action-planning requirements to become part of the developing workplace-equality framework.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A meaningful action plan should include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>the organisation\u2019s main causes of inequality;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>measurable actions;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>named senior responsibility;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>deadlines;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>workforce and employee consultation;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>intersectional analysis;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>progress indicators; and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>transparent annual reporting.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Menopause should not be treated as an isolated wellbeing campaign. It can intersect with sex, age and disability protections and can affect attendance, performance assessments, promotion, retention and workplace dignity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>5. Clarification following the Supreme Court judgment on sex<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Equality and Human Rights Commission has continued updating its guidance following the Supreme Court\u2019s April 2025 judgment on the meaning of sex under the Equality Act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The judgment concluded that references to sex in the Act mean biological sex. The Court also made clear that trans people remain protected against discrimination under the protected characteristic of gender reassignment and may, depending on the circumstances, also have claims involving perceived sex or association.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Equality principle<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This area must be approached lawfully and respectfully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Protecting the rights of one group does not remove the obligation to protect another. Organisations should prevent harassment, preserve dignity, assess competing rights carefully and avoid policies or communications that contribute to hostility towards women, trans people or any other community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>6. High Court proceedings concerning EHRC guidance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On 13 February 2026, the High Court dismissed a legal challenge concerning the EHRC\u2019s April 2025 interim update following the Supreme Court judgment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The case demonstrates the continuing importance of accurate statutory guidance and careful governance when organisations interpret equality law.<strong><br><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>EQUALITY IN NUMBERS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Gender pay<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The latest available ONS figures show that, in April 2025:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>the gender pay gap among full-time employees was <strong>6.9%<\/strong>, down from 7.1% in 2024;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the gap across all employees was <strong>12.8%<\/strong>, down from 13.1%;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>approximately <strong>84% of male employees<\/strong> worked full-time, compared with approximately <strong>60% of female employees<\/strong>; and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the full-time gender pay gap among the highest-paid employees was <strong>15.2%<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The figures show long-term progress but also demonstrate that women remain under-represented or disadvantaged within many of the highest-paid roles and occupations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Disability and employment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Government labour-market analysis published during 2026 reported that the disability employment-rate gap was approximately <strong>31.2 percentage points<\/strong> in October to December 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A separate 2026 government update reported a disability employment rate of <strong>52.8%<\/strong>, approximately <strong>29.5 percentage points below<\/strong> the employment rate for non-disabled people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These figures reinforce the importance of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>accessible recruitment;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>timely reasonable adjustments;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>disability-confident management;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>flexible working;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>inclusive job design;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>accessible technology; and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>challenging assumptions about capability and attendance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><br><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Hate crime<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The latest complete Home Office statistics available during this quarter cover the year ending March 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They show that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>137,550 hate crimes were recorded by the police in England and Wales;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>excluding the Metropolitan Police because of changes to its recording system, recorded hate crime increased by 2%;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>recorded race hate crimes increased by 6%;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>recorded religious hate crimes increased by 3%;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>religious hate crimes targeting Muslims increased by 19%; and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the Crime Survey for England and Wales estimated approximately 176,000 hate-crime incidents per year.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Police-recorded figures do not represent the full prevalence of hate crime because many incidents are not reported. The year-ending March 2026 figures are provisionally scheduled for publication in October 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>WHAT ORGANISATIONS SHOULD DO THIS QUARTER<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Review policies against current law<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Review equality, dignity-at-work, harassment, recruitment, reasonable-adjustment, family-leave, menopause, flexible-working and service-delivery policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Policies should clearly explain:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>expected standards;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>prohibited conduct;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>reporting options;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>investigation procedures;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>protection from victimisation; and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>accountability for breaches.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><br><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Strengthen equality impact assessment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Equality impact assessment should begin while options remain open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Assess:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>who may benefit;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>who may be disadvantaged;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>whether the evidence is complete;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>whether different protected groups are affected differently;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>possible intersectional effects;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>reasonable adjustments;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>less discriminatory alternatives; and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>how outcomes will be monitored.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Move from reporting to action<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Collecting data is not enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Organisations should examine recruitment, progression, disciplinary action, grievances, performance ratings, pay, retention, flexible working, redundancy and access to development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Data should be disaggregated wherever lawful and statistically appropriate. Small numbers must be handled carefully to protect confidentiality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Make inclusion intersectional<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">People do not experience inequality through one characteristic at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, the experiences of disabled women, older LGBT+ people, Black mothers, Muslim women, trans people from minority ethnic communities and working-class disabled people may not be visible in single-characteristic analysis.<strong><br><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Improve accessibility<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Provide information in accessible formats and consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>screen-reader compatibility;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>plain English;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Easy Read;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>British Sign Language;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>captions and transcripts;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>accessible venues;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>hearing support;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>alternative contact methods; and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>sufficient time for people to request adjustments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Listen to lived experience<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Effective equality work should be undertaken <strong>with<\/strong> affected communities, rather than simply <strong>about<\/strong> them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Consultation should be accessible, psychologically safe and capable of influencing the final decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>FINAL MESSAGE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The direction of travel is encouraging. Equality legislation, employment reform and updated statutory guidance are continuing to strengthen the expectation that organisations prevent discrimination rather than merely respond to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The statistics, however, show why sustained action remains essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Progress will be measured not simply by the number of policies published, but by whether people:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>receive equal pay for equal work;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>can enter and progress through employment;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>obtain adjustments without unnecessary struggle;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>use services safely and with dignity;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>are protected from harassment and hate;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>can raise concerns without victimisation; and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>are meaningfully involved in decisions affecting their lives.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Equality is not a completed project or an annual compliance exercise. It is an ongoing legal, organisational and moral responsibility requiring evidence, accountability and continuous improvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Legal note<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This newsletter provides a general overview of the equality framework and selected developments available as at <strong>22 July 2026<\/strong>. It is not legal advice. The application of equality and employment law depends on the jurisdiction and the circumstances of each case. Organisations should obtain specialist advice where necessary and confirm commencement dates before relying on newly enacted provisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>1. Updated Equality Act Code of Practice A major development during this period has been the publication and parliamentary consideration of an updated statutory Code of Practice covering services, public functions and associations. The updated Code reflects more than a decade of legal and social developments, including: The updated draft was laid before Parliament on [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1212","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-workplace","category-social-justice-and-advocacy-2"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Key Equality Developments Since January 2026 - Equality and Diversity UK Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.equalityanddiversity.co.uk\/index.php\/2026\/09\/08\/key-equality-developments-since-january-2026\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Key Equality Developments Since January 2026 - Equality and Diversity UK Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"1. Updated Equality Act Code of Practice A major development during this period has been the publication and parliamentary consideration of an updated statutory Code of Practice covering services, public functions and associations. 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