Disabled people and legislation

Information for civil servants about equality legislation and disabled people

What civil servants need to know about disability discrimination legislation

There are three key pieces of equality legislation that civil servants must be aware of in their work.

The Equality Act 2010 (EA) streamlines and strengthens anti-discrimination legislation across the board. It generally carries forward the protection previously provided by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA). It also strengthens protection and links it more closely to other equality measures.
The Public Sector Equality Duty under the EA is a requirement on public authorities to consider how their policies and measures affect disabled people.
The UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled People sets out what governments should do to promote and protect disabled people’s rights.

This section outlines what civil servants need to know to ensure they meet their obligations.

Page last reviewed: 30 March 2011