Why #1forEquality?

Why does inequality matter and what can the government do about it?

Inequality is harming our society

Man walking through abandoned carpark

The UK is one of the most economically unequal countries in the developed world.

The international evidence shows that inequality harms physical and mental health, self-esteem, happiness, sense of trust and civic participation. Unequal societies have less social mobility and tend to have higher crime rates.

The most recent data has shown a slight fall in income inequality as a result of extremely low levels of income growth since the beginning of the financial crisis in 2007/08. However, this trend is likely to be reversed when scheduled social security cuts take effect, leading the IFS to predict a 50% rise in child poverty by 2020. Meanwhile, falling or stagnant incomes and growing house prices in the last decade are increasing wealth inequality.

Empty wallet in the hands of an elderly man. Poverty in retirement concept

Inequality is harming the economy

Inequality undermines human rights, individual agency and freedom


Inequality, particularly when it grows, suggests that the right policies are not in place to ensure an adequate standard of living and the improvement of the enjoyment of human rights for all.

Equality, however, is not only about resources and needs. It is also about freedom. Equality is of paramount importance for meaningful choice in a free society.

More equality means more autonomy and more agency. A more equal society can empower more people to take control over their lives.

But…inequality is not inevitable.

The Government has a powerful tool at its disposal

The Equality Act 2010 consolidated anti-discrimination legislation to require equal treatment in private and public services, and access to employment, for the protected characteristics of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

So what about economic inequalities?  Section 1 of the Equality Act introduced a socio-economic duty on public bodies that required them:

‘when making decisions of a strategic nature about how to exercise its functions’ to ‘have due regard to the desirability of exercising them in a way that is designed to reduce the inequalities of outcome which result from socio-economic disadvantage.’

Compelling public bodies to consider how their decisions and actions could exacerbate or reduce inequality would help to shield the most vulnerable and level the playing field between people from different socio-economic backgrounds.

However, despite being passed by Parliament in 2010, the Governments since then have refused to bring section 1 into force.

Following later amendments, if commenced now, the socio-economic duty would apply to ministers; Government departments; county, district and borough councils in England (and the Isles of Scilly); the Greater London Authority and police and crime commissioners.

The Scottish Government has already announced that it will legislate this year to introduce the socioeconomic duty. The Wales Act 2017 confers this power on the Welsh Government.

Are you #1forEquality? Act now…

We call on the UK Government to commence section 1. Fully in force, the Equality Act would require transparent assessments of how public bodies’ policies and decisions contribute to our unequal outcomes – and how they could help to close the gap.

Ask the Government to commence section 1 of the Equality Act