The new Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED)

Tuesday 5th of April 2011


We are living in unparallel times with the introduction of the new Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) on 5th April 2011. The PSED will ensure that all Public Sector organisations and those private sector companies that deliver public sector services must now demonstrate equality across all the equality strands. For the first time, public sector bodies will be required to demonstrate equality across all strands, including age, sexual orientation and religion or belief. This builds on the existing duties relating to disability, gender and race, and gender identity also known as gender dysphoria. The group title attributed to this list of our identities is called 'protected characteristics'.
Today's milestone in equality law re-emphasises the importance which must be evidenced to the three General Duties at work, these are:
  

  1. the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination,
  2. advance equality of opportunity,
  3. foster good relations across all of the protected characteristics.
     

The new duty broadens the issues that public bodies have to take into account when making decisions. It requires them to understand the needs of their service users and to reflect equality considerations in their employment practice, the design of policies and the delivery of services.