The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has completed its review of 404 policy examples referred by the UK government following its 2024 call for input on single-sex spaces. The review identified policies from 19 organisations—including those in policing, education, health, and public services—that misrepresented the Equality Act 2010 (EqA 2010) by implying an automatic legal right to access single-sex spaces based solely on self-identification.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has reported entering into a legal agreement with IKEA UK to help improve its policies and practices regarding sexual harassment. The EHRC confirms that the agreement should last until August 2025.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has concluded that the Welsh Government breached the equality law by failing to comply with both the general and specific duties of the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) under the Equality Act 2010 (EqA 2010). EHRC identified violations of EqA 2010, s149 and regulations 8 and 16 of the Equality Act 2010 (Statutory Duties) (Wales) Regulations 2011, SI 2011/1064. These breaches arose when the Welsh Government failed to show due regard to the PSED in discontinuing funding for free school meals, did not conduct or publish Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs) for several policies, and published its 2023 annual equality report 11 days after the statutory deadline.

Public Law analysis: The Administrative Court has dismissed a judicial review brought by the Good Law Project and three individuals challenging the interim update issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission in the aftermath of the Supreme Court decision in For Women Scotland Ltd v Scottish Ministers. The interim update warned that the provision of multi-user single-sex facilities and services on anything other than a biological sex basis could amount to direct and indirect discrimination and was likely unlawful. The update also warned that failure to provide suitable alternative accommodation for transgender people could amount to unlawful discrimination and encouraged service providers and employers to, where possible, provide an alternative mixed-sex option. The Good Law Project challenged this guidance on the grounds that it misstated the law and would give rise to breaches of the Article 8 rights of transgender people. Mr Justice Swift dismissed the challenge, upholding the interim update in its entirety. Written by Michael Foran, Associate Professor of Law, University of Oxford.

Employment analysis: The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has updated its interim update on the practical implications of the Supreme Court judgment in For Women Scotland v Scottish Ministers to clarify the position on separate-sex facilities in the workplace. The clarification, published on 24 June 2025, takes into account requirements of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 but, according to the EHRC should not be interpreted as a change in its fundamental position on the implications of the judgment.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has issued a consultation on the law on preventing sexual harassment in the workplace. On 26 October 2024 the new Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 will come into force. The Act introduces a new positive legal obligation on employers to take reasonable steps to protect their workers from sexual harassment. In January 2020 the EHRC issued technical guidance on sexual harassment and harassment at work. The EHRC has since updated this guidance to include information on the new preventative duty. It has also made minor changes to the rest of the guidance, for example updating it so that it reflects relevant recent case law and the recent Equality Act 2010 (Amendment Regulations) 2023. As a result, the EHRC are now consulting to make sure that this new section of the guidance is clear and helpful.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has published guidance on what employers need to know about the new sexual harassment law and Christmas parties. The EHRC identifies the following steps that employers should take as this year’s festivities begin: (1) think ahead to prevent problems, eg about alcohol, overnight stays and travel, and power imbalances, (2) set expectations early and remind employees of company policies, and (3) consider the risk of third party harassment.

Following the UK Supreme Court judgment in For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers [2025] UKSC 16, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has published an interim update intended to highlight the main consequences of the judgment.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has issued new guidance on menopause in the workplace, setting out employer’s legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010 (EqA 2010). The new guidance aims to clarify these obligations and provide practical tips for employers on making reasonable adjustments and fostering positive conversations about the menopause. If menopause symptoms have a long term and substantial impact on a woman’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities, they may be considered a disability. Under the EqA 2010, an employer will be under a legal obligation to make reasonable adjustments and to not discriminate against the worker. Additionally, workers experiencing menopause symptoms may be protected from less favourable treatment related to their symptoms on the grounds of age and sex.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has launched a consultation on its Strategic Plan 2025–2028, which sets out what the EHRC seeks to achieve over the next three years and how it will do so. It has identified work, participation and good relations and justice and the balance of rights as the three main areas to make a difference and aims to use its regulatory powers to change and improve human rights issues in these three areas. EHRC is requesting views on how to achieve the greatest impact and what should be prioritised. The consultation closes on 3 October 2024.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has launched a consultation on its updated Code of Practice for services, public functions and associations which sets out the steps that should be taken to ensure people are not discriminated against. Several technical amendments have been made to the Code (the key updates affecting chapter 2 (Who has rights), 4-5 (Direct and indirect discrimination), 10 (Positive Action), 13 (Exceptions) and 14 (Enforcement) detailed below), primarily where there has been a change or clarification of the law since the original Code was published. The EHRC is seeking views on how easy the updated Code is to understand and whether its interpretation of changes to the law and its associated impacts are clearly articulated. The consultation closes on 3 January 2025.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) released guidance on 19 September 2025, aimed at supporting the armed forces, police, and fire and rescue services in England, Scotland, and Wales. This comprehensive resource is designed to improve the collection and analysis of workforce equality data in accordance with the Equality Act 2010, thereby addressing persistent gaps identified in a 2023 inspectorate report.