Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED)

The Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) was introduced by the Equality Act 2010 and replaces the race, disability and gender equality duty

Compliance with the PSED is a legal obligation. The duty ensures councils and other public bodies consider, how different people will be affected by their activities and services.

The General Duty requires the council to have due regard to the need to: 
• eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation
• advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it
• foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it

The Specific Duty requires the council to: 
• publish equality information to demonstrate their compliance with the general equality duty, at least annually
• prepare and publish one or more objectives to meet the aims of the general duty, at least every four years after that

The PSED duty covers nine protected characteristics: age, disability, race, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, marriage and civic partnerships

For more detailed information on the Equality Act and the Public Sector Equality Duty, further guidance is available on the Government Equalities Office  and Equality and Human Rights Commission  websites.