The Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain Large print version

December 2010 Members of the Inter Ministerial Group on Equalities, chaired by , and Minister for Women and Equalities

Jeremy Browne Paul Burstow Minister of State, Minister for Foreign and Care Services, Commonwealth Office Department of Health

Edward Davey Lynne Featherstone Minister for Employment Minister for Equalities, Relations, Consumer and Postal Government Equalities Affairs, Department for Business, Office, Home Office Innovation and Skills

Justine Greening Nick Hurd Economic Secretary to the Minister for Civil Society, Treasury, Her Majesty’s Treasury Rt. Hon Lord McNally Maria Miller Minister of State, Minister for Disabled People, Ministry for Justice Office for Disability Issues, Department for Work and Pensions

Stephen O’Brien Hugh Robertson Parliamentary Under Minister for Sports and Secretary of State, Olympics, Department for Department for International Culture, Media and Sport Development

Andrew Stunell Sarah Teather Minister for Race Equality, Minister for Children and Families, Department for Communities Department for Education and Local Government The Equality Strategy – Building a Fairer Britain

December 2010 The Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain The Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain Contents Foreword by the Minister for Women and Equalities 3 Introduction 5 Section 1: Early years, education and social mobility 13 Section 2: A fair and flexible labour market 17 Section 3: Opening up public services and empowering individuals and communities 23 Section 4: Changing culture and attitudes 27 Section 5: Making it happen 31 References 34

2 The Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain The Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain Foreword by the Minister for Women and Equalities Equality is at the heart of this Coalition Government. It is fundamental to building a strong economy and a fair society; and in these difficult economic times equality is even more important. As we rebuild our economy it is essential that we make sure we benefit from the talents of everyone in the UK. As we take the difficult decisions necessary to tackle the UK’s record deficit we are determined to do so fairly, protecting the most vulnerable and prioritising equal opportunities for all.

This strategy is built on two principles of equality: equal treatment and equal opportunity. As a country we have come a long way in the last fifty years: from the Equal Pay Act in 1970 to Civil Partnership Legislation in 2004; we are a more diverse and tolerant country, and we should be proud of that fact. But the reality remains that despite more and more legislation from government, too many people’s life chances still depend on who they are or where they come from, not their effort or ability.

This strategy sets out a new approach to equality. One that recognises that we still need specific action to deal with specific problems, but that we need to move beyond defining people simply because they’ve ticked a box on a form. We will work with people, communities and businesses to empower them to enact change. We will take a new approach by tackling the causes of inequality as well as using targeted action to deal with its consequences. We will ensure accountability by shining the light of transparency on organisations, allowing their performance to be challenged and acting as a driver for change. Equality is key to all our work. That is why I have set up an inter-ministerial group to ensure that we continue to drive work to support this strategy across government, working closely with all those involved: this strategy is just the start of this work.

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Equality underpins this coalition’s guiding principles of freedom, fairness and responsibility. But in the end, it will take all of us working together to build the strong, modern and fair Britain that we all want to see.

Theresa May Home Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities

4 The Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain The Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain Introduction In our Coalition Agreement, this ticking. That is why we are government committed to work scrapping the last administration’s together to tear down the barriers socio-economic duty. to social mobility and equal opportunities in Britain, and build a This strategy sets out a new fairer society. No one should be held approach to equalities, moving away back because of who they are or from the identity politics of the past their background. But, equally, and to an approach recognising no-one should be defined simply by people’s individuality. And it sets out these characteristics. We want a a new role for government, moving society where people are recognised beyond simply introducing more for who they are and what they legislation, to promoting equality achieve, not where they are from. through transparency and behaviour change. Government will act as a We have some of the strongest catalyst and advocate for change, equality legislation in Europe. Britain working with businesses, the today is a far more diverse and voluntary sector and wider civil tolerant society than it was a society to create equal generation ago. That is something opportunities. to be proud of. But legislation will only get us so far. New legislation What we mean by and increased regulation has equality produced diminishing returns, and Equality can mean many different in recent years progress on equality things to many different people. This has stalled and in some areas begun strategy focuses on two principles of to reverse. Too often the word equality: equal treatment and equal ‘equality’ has been misused and opportunity. misunderstood because it has come to mean political correctness, social engineering, form filling and box

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It is not right or fair that people are people’s attitudes or behaviour to discriminated against because of ensure those rights are not abused: who they are or what they believe. • Decades after equal pay laws were So we need to stop that passed, women are paid over discrimination and change 12 per cent less than men across behaviour. a range of sectors, increasing to 22 per cent when part-time And it is not right or fair that the workers are included1. The factors opportunities open to people are behind the gender pay gap are not based on their ambition, ability complex. Outdated expectations or hard work, but on who their of women’s jobs and family roles, parents are or where they live. So occupational segregation and we need to break down the barriers traditional approaches to job that hold people back and give design, coupled with a lack of them the opportunities to succeed. flexibility in our systems of maternity and paternity pay and Equality today difficulties in finding flexible Ensuring everyone has the right to childcare, all contribute. equality is a fundamental duty of • Some ethnic groups have any government and on this the UK unemployment rates three times has a record to be proud of. We higher than white men.2 Muslim have some of the strongest equality men have the lowest employment legislation in Europe, from the first rates compared with those of Race Relations Act in 1965 and the other major faiths Equal Pay Act in 1970 to the or no faith.3 introduction of civil partnerships. • Children who are perceived as ‘different’, such as disabled But while legislation has helped to children, experience more bullying enshrine people’s rights in law, more than others.4 than legislation is needed to change

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• Over 70 homicides in England and The gradual evolution of equality Wales between 2007 and 2008, law led to a ‘strand-based’ approach and 2009 and 2010 were charged to equality with different laws to as resulting from racially or protect different groups. Putting religiously aggravated, transphobic people into different categories or homophobic or disability-related simply because they ticked a box on hate crimes.5 a form ignores their needs as an • Despite disability discrimination individual. At the same time, some legislation, around a third of people have been made to feel as if disabled people experience equality is not for them. difficulties in accessing goods or If legislation has been seen to be the services, including health services. route to equal treatment, money has The employment rate of disabled often been seen as the solution to people in Great Britain is far lower equality of opportunity. However, than the overall working-age despite billions of pounds of population: 48.4 per cent government spending, many compared to 72.2 per cent. Within opportunities remain closed to the that, some groups face even disadvantaged: greater barriers to work, for example only 6.4 per cent of • The chances for children in lower adults with learning disabilities income families of being socially who use social services are in mobile are lower in the UK than work.6 most international counterparts. By the age of seven, children with We cannot tackle those issues simply a higher social class background, by passing more legislation. but low assessed ability, overtake those from a lower social class background with high ability.7

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• People are living longer, but men Why equality matters and women in the highest socio- These inequalities matter to all of us. economic group can expect to Failure to tackle discrimination and live up to seven years longer than to provide equal opportunities, those in the lower socio-economic harms individuals, weakens our groups.8 Although infant mortality society and costs our economy. rates are at their lowest ever, black For example: Caribbean and Pakistani babies are • the National Audit Office estimated twice as likely to die in their first that the overall cost to the year than Bangladeshi or white economy from failure to fully use British babies.9 the talents of people from ethnic • Persistent inequalities exist for minorities could be around £8.6 some groups. For example, under billion annually;12 10 per cent of Gypsy and Traveller • the Women and Work Commission pupils attain five GCSEs or estimated the total potential equivalent benefits of increasing women’s at A*-C grades including English employment and tackling and maths compared with over occupational gender segregation 50 per cent for the average could be worth about £15 billion population.10 to £23 billion to the economy • Black Caribbean pupils are three each year;13 times more likely to be • the economic cost of violence permanently excluded than the against women in the UK is school population as a whole.11 estimated to be £37.6 billion annually.14

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At a time of global economic A new approach pressures, equality becomes more, This government has already taken not less, important. We are steps to implement most of the committed to tackling Britain’s Equality Act 2010 which simplifies record deficit now, so that the next the legislative framework, including generation does not have to pay for those new provisions that will make the mistakes of this generation, and a real difference and scrapping we will protect and safeguard those those, like the last administration’s services that are crucial to bureaucratic ‘socio-economic duty’ individuals’ life chances. that create more bureaucracy, not We want a fair society where every greater equality. We will continue to child has the opportunity to progress make targeted interventions where as far as their talents will take them, there is clear evidence that not one in which people’s chances legislation is needed. But while are driven by where they come legislation has made a difference in from, how others see them, or who the past, it is not a panacea for the their parents are. We need a labour continuing gaps in equality that we market that draws on the talents face. of all, not one in which people are This strategy sets out the written off because of outdated Government’s new approach to perceptions. Our democratic tackling inequality: one that moves structures and communities are away from treating people as groups stronger and more effective if all or ‘equality strands’ and instead voices are included, and everyone recognises that we are a nation of has the chance to shape and 62 million individuals. influence the decisions that affect them.

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Government will work with money must be targeted at dealing employers, employees and wider with the causes of inequality and society as an advocate the barriers to social mobility. Over for change, instead of dictating what the course of this spending period, the right approach should be despite the difficult decisions that through rules and regulations. Many have had to be taken, we have businesses are already ahead of prioritised and will continue to government with policies that have prioritise interventions that will pre-empted legislation and, in some advance equality of opportunity and areas, gone further than the law make the greatest difference to requires; and many voluntary sector people’s lives. bodies already have deep insight into the underlying causes and symptoms Principles for change of inequality and how to work with Our approach will be based on five, individuals to address them. We will related, supporting principles: support people to make the right • Creating equal opportunities choices, help to create equal for all: moving from looking at opportunities and use transparency solutions geared to special to drive accountability. Legislation is treatment for ‘groups’ to only part of this approach. developing frameworks that help While our priority for government create fairness and opportunities spending is to deal with the UK’s for everyone by, for example, record deficit, ensuring future extending the right to request economic growth and prosperity, we flexible working to all, and not recognise that money does matter simply those with caring when it comes to equality. But it is responsibilities. Equal treatment not in itself a solution. For money to and equal opportunities for all make a real difference it must be does not mean uniformity – it targeted at the right places. means giving everyone an equal Crucially, rather than simply dealing right to be treated fairly as an with the consequences of inequality, individual, recognising both their

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needs and their talents and giving • Supporting social action: giving them an equal opportunity to the voluntary sector and public progress. sector professionals the freedom • Devolving power to people: to work together to innovate and supporting everyone to participate drive effective measures which in our democratic structures and build a more inclusive and cohesive communities, to access the services society based on tolerance and they need and shape their own respect for all. We will support and lives. Instead of top-down targets promote programmes which work we will devolve power, free up effectively across social divides. For businesses, public services, the example, the National Citizen voluntary sector, communities and Service will bring together 16-year- citizens to develop solutions, and olds from different backgrounds promote good practice. and around the country to become • Transparency: shining a light on community volunteers and join in inequalities and giving individuals outdoor pursuits. and local communities the tools • Embedding equality: leading by and information they need to example and embedding equality challenge organisations that are in everything we do in government not offering fair opportunities, and as an integral part of our policies public services that are not and programmes. We have made a delivering effectively for all the start with the first-ever Ministerial people they serve. The reshaped Group on Equalities. public sector Equality Duty will require public bodies to publish This strategy sets out how more information on equality than government will work with before, and demonstrate how they businesses, local communities, are delivering improvement, public services, the voluntary sector replacing bureaucratic and others to drive real and accountability with democratic sustainable change, and build a accountability. fairer society and stronger economy.

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It is not intended to be a The legislative foundation, in the comprehensive list of all the work form of the Equality Act 2010, across government on equalities, applies broadly to Great Britain. but a strategic framework that sets has its own out this government’s new equality legislation. approach. We will continue our dialogue with organisations and the Within this framework, public and publish a responsibility for delivery of many report in a year’s time setting out public services which are what we have achieved and how we important to achieving greater have built on what we have already equality is devolved. However, achieved. there are also many areas where responsibility is reserved. The This strategy sets out the UK detailed actions in this strategy will Government’s commitment to therefore be delivered in a manner tackling the barriers to equal that is appropriate opportunities and social mobility. It to the division of responsibilities sets the framework for how across the United Kingdom. equality will be a fundamental part of the Government’s programmes across the UK. Some policies that are set out in this strategy will

apply across the UK, some to Great Britain only, some to England and Wales and some to England only, depending on the topic.

12 The Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain The Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain Section 1: Early years, education and social mobility Aim: tackle deprivation and Increasing opportunity is not just inequalities relating to family about investing more money in background, and improve social public services. Parents have a huge mobility. role to play in ensuring their children get the best start. We need to A child’s early years and education strengthen communities, promote have a profound influence on their social capital and social mobility and life chances. But research shows that ensure children develop the skills even by the time they start their first that they will need to get on in life. day at school, bright children from poor backgrounds have fallen behind children from affluent Action homes. Simply spending more Early years money has not closed down the Young children and families from gap. Sure Start has made an the poorest backgrounds are often important difference to families, but isolated and lack effective networks we want to focus it more effectively to support them in accessing to support the most vulnerable and opportunities. Services that work disadvantaged families. Extra alongside, support and befriend spending on education has gone struggling families can have a hand in hand with more red tape powerful effect. and bureaucracy, leaving teachers with less time to focus on raising We will: standards. And instead of helping • promote the creation of new people move out of poverty, our community-led public services, benefits system has trapped too learning from organisations such many families and children in as the National Childbirth Trust welfare dependency. which works with single, teenage mothers to spread knowledge and good practice;

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• fund an additional 4,200 health disadvantaged backgrounds. visitors to support families with The Pupil Premium will provide young children; additional funding, worth £2.5 • extend free early years education billion by 2014–2015 and be to all disadvantaged 2-year-olds allocated entirely to schools; from 2013; • be transparent in accounting for • take Sure Start back to its original the Pupil Premium, with schools purpose of improving the life reporting to parents how they chances of disadvantaged children. have used the Pupil Premium so Sure Start services will target early parents can hold the schools to intervention on the most account; disadvantaged or at risk young • ensure school leaders have the families; and freedom to innovate, the powers • consider the recommendations of to maintain discipline fairly and are Graham Allen’s Review of Early encouraged to share with other Intervention whose interim report schools what they have learned is due in January 2011. in addressing the causes of inequality; Schools and young people • support schools with the latest Schools will receive increased research, including into the funding for pupils from a deprived underlying issues associated with background and decide how best to the higher rate of exclusions of use the funding for pupils, as they African Caribbean boys; are best placed to understand their • establish an Education Endowment pupils’ needs. We will: Fund, to fund bold and innovative • introduce a Pupil Premium from ways to raise the attainment 2011–2012 to enable the poorest of disadvantaged pupils in children to receive the support underperforming schools, in they need to reach their potential response to bids from schools, and incentivise good schools to local authorities, parents, voluntary take on pupils from more

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and community sector Scholarship fund to support organisations, charities and social students from disadvantaged enterprises; backgrounds. • set up a new Ministerial Working Group to drive action across [Note: we set out what we are government to tackle the wide doing to address bullying in schools range of inequalities and poor in Section 4.] social outcomes experienced by Gypsies and Travellers. Forty-eight Poverty, work and social local authorities are already mobility offering targeted support to We are committed to the aspiration Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils; of ending child poverty in the UK by • set out next steps for Special 2020 as set out in the Child Poverty Education Needs (SEN) and Act 2010 and will publish a child Disabilities, including early poverty strategy next spring. This identification and assessment, will include a breakdown of the funding, family support and school children with the highest risks of choice, in a Green Paper to be poverty and disadvantage, including published at the end of 2010; and some ethnic minorities; asylum • support young people’s transitions seekers and refugees; disabled to adulthood by raising the children and children in families with participation age in education a disabled sibling or parent; and to 18 by 2015, providing children of Gypsy, Roma and opportunities for volunteering and Traveller families. personal and social development • The Government has appointed through National Citizen Service, Frank Field MP to lead an and targeted support for independent review into poverty vulnerable young people through and life chances. The review will the Early Intervention Grant. The explore how a child’s home fairness premium also includes a environment affects their chances new £150 million National of being ready to take full

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advantage of their schooling and Unlocking social mobility is at the recommend potential action by heart of the Government’s agenda. government and other institutions The Deputy Prime Minister has set to reduce poverty and enhance life up an informal Ministerial group on chances for the least advantaged, social mobility to ensure cross- consistent with the Government’s government commitment and fiscal strategy; and to examine the action: case for reforms to the poverty • Alan Milburn has been appointed measures. as Independent Reviewer on social • We have exempted the lowest mobility and he will undertake an paid public sector workers from annual review of the effectiveness the pay freeze and next April we of the Government’s actions will take 880,000 of the lowest and the contributions made by paid workers out of income tax wider society, including employers altogether. and community organisations; and • In the meantime, above-inflation • we will publish a social mobility increases in the Child Tax Credit strategy by February 2011. will ensure that the measures to tackle the deficit in the Emergency Budget and Spending Review will not lead to any measurable increase in child poverty over the next two years.

16 The Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain The Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain Section 2: A fair and flexible labour market

Aim: work with business to understand and implement. develop a fairer and more Behavioural insights could help flexible labour market that us address cultural attitudes. For draws on the talents of all and example, we know that some builds a strong economy. people have intrinsic bias about male and female capabilities, which Building a stronger Britain means impacts negatively on women’s making sure that we draw on the career advancement15. Just 5 per talents of all and that everyone who cent of the gender pay gap is due to can work has real opportunities to skills while a far greater proportion work. To do this, we need to work (22 per cent) is due to the different with business to address the main occupations and industries in which challenges to equality in the men and women work16, 17. workplace, namely: fair access to the labour market; a more flexible and inclusive labour market; and Action equal pay and equal opportunities Equal pay and progression for promotion and progression. We Making pay transparent is the first need to address outright step to making it fair, working discrimination in the workplace and towards a new social norm where tackle persistent cultural attitudes it is more acceptable to discuss pay that place barriers to individuals and reveal what people earn. entering and progressing in the Government can lead by example workplace because of outdated in this and reward good practice. and misplaced assumptions and We will: practices. • lead by example in promoting transparency and good practice in We have the legislation in place to the public sector. The new specific tackle outright discrimination and duties made to support the public we need to work to enforce this, sector Equality Duty will require and make the current law easy to

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large public bodies to be through section 78 of the Equality transparent about the make-up Act 2010. While we work with of their employees, to give the business and others to ensure the public the information they need to voluntary approach is successful, hold organisations to account and we will not commence, amend or promote change. For example, repeal section 78; as part of this, we will strongly • work with regulators and business encourage them to include trade organisations to shine a light information on their gender pay on those who are promoting gap; equality well and those who • work with business and others to are not doing well; develop a voluntary scheme for • take strong action where there is gender pay reporting in the private evidence of discrimination, for and voluntary sector which will be example, against women on pay, available to all private and where we will shortly set out our voluntary sector businesses, but approach in a consultation particularly those with 150 or document; more employees. We expect and • improve careers advice for girls, want the voluntary approach to women, ethnic minorities, disabled work. This will give better people and others who can be information and is more likely to disadvantaged by occupational drive successful change. We will segregation, to help ensure that annually review the numbers of they are aware of the options companies releasing information, open to them; and its quality, under the voluntary • from April 2011, allow employers, approach to assess whether this on a permissive basis, to apply approach is successful and take voluntary positive action in a view over time whether recruitment and promotion alternatives are required, including processes when faced with two or using a mandatory approach more candidates of equal merit, to address under-representation in 18 The Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain The Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain

the workforce. This does not mean workplaces. We will work with ‘quotas’ or giving someone a job business to consider the report’s just because they are a woman, recommendations and take steps disabled or from an ethnic minority to improve LGB&T equality in the – positive discrimination is not workplace. acceptable and is unlawful; • work with business to develop Modern workplaces business-led measures to promote Inflexible working patterns are a more women on to the boards of barrier for many. The best businesses listed companies. Lord Davies is already understand that offering currently undertaking a review into flexible working makes good the lack of female representation business sense, helping to attract on corporate and business boards and retain the best staff. Flexible and will report back early next working allows all businesses to year; adapt their working patterns to • lead by example. We have set a fit their needs, rather than just new aspiration that 50 per cent of conforming to the traditional 9–5. all new appointments to public Some of Britain’s most innovative boards will be women by the end and successful small and medium- of the current Parliament. This sized enterprises are showing that aspiration will be underpinned flexible working is good for their by a comprehensive work businesses as well. And flexible programme, developing more working can benefit all staff, structured strategic relationships at not just those with caring board level with FTSE Companies responsibilities, from faith and other business networks; communities with different religious • publish research which explores leave needs, through to helping the barriers that employers face in older people manage the transition establishing lesbian, gay, bisexual between work and retirement. and transgender (LGB&T) friendly

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We will: • encourage shared parenting from • extend the right to request flexible the earliest stage of pregnancy, working to all employees, and consult on a new system of promoting flexible working as flexible parental leave, allowing sensible business practice rather parents of all types of families to than special treatment. We will share leave between them; consult with businesses and • phase out the Default Retirement the public as we develop our Age, allowing older workers to proposals; remain in work if they want to and • promote innovative ways to help are capable. We have recently people find out about sought views on our proposals and opportunities that meet their will respond to the consultation by needs, building on examples the end of 2010; such as Women Like Us, a social • consider how the provisions enterprise which runs a in the Equality Act to ban age recruitment service that specialises discrimination in the provision in part-time jobs and works with of services and exercise of public employers to design part-time jobs functions can be implemented that benefit their business; in the best way for business and • look at how the new Universal others affected. There would need Credit can support non-traditional to be a full public consultation work patterns such as ‘mini jobs’ on exceptions to the ban on age that can often be the first step discrimination, to ensure that back into work; beneficial or justifiable age-based treatment can continue.

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Case Study As a result, the company has Botanic Inns is one of Northern maintained a high degree of Ireland’s leading hospitality and retention with staff reaching 5, 10, entertainment providers, with a 15, 20, 25 and for the first time workforce of some 600 staff and this year, 30 years service! The 17 bar and restaurant outlets, company has also attained and including 2 hotels. The hospitality retained Investors in People industry is associated with high Accreditation and won numerous labour turnover and unsociable organisational awards, including hours. The company recognised Best Multiple Operator at the this had a considerable impact on UK-wide Publican Awards. the business and on family life. Dominic McGeown, head of human resources said: “Flexible They also recognised that skilled working, if managed effectively, staff who enjoyed working in the can pay huge dividends both on hospitality sector and could offer an individual basis and on significant benefits to an employer, company profitability. It’s an age were sometimes inhibited from old cliché, but if our staff are remaining in the industry given the happy, our customers will be nature of the work and working happy and that is the winning hours. Recognising this, the recipe for their return, time after company developed a competitive time! Flexible working is about benefits package, including agreement and compromise and flexible working made available to should not be an inhibiting factor everyone. The options included for the individual staff member or compressed working weeks, term- for the company”18. time working, flexitime, part time, career breaks and working from home where the job allowed it.

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Getting on and getting available in those areas which ahead face the greatest unemployment challenge; For those who are able to work, • reform Access to Work so disabled work is the best route out of people can apply for jobs with poverty. The Government will give funding already secured for any all those who can work the support adaptations and equipment they that they need to get into, and stay will need; and in work, and in return expect people to take up the opportunities open to • provide improved specialist them. We will: support for disabled people through Work Choice, to support • introduce a new Work Programme those facing complex barriers to by summer 2011. It will offer employment which cannot be met personalised support to a range through the Work Programme. of people – from Jobseeker’s Allowance recipients who have Case Study been out of work for some time, Ian, 43, has a learning disability to those who may previously have and does not use many words. He been receiving Incapacity Benefit spent most of his life in segregated for years; services. But six years ago, with • introduce a new Universal Credit support from supported from 2013, designed to simplify employment agency Pure the benefits system, offer an Innovations (a social enterprise), incentive to work and reduce the he got a job with catering risk of making the transition into company SSP at Manchester paid work; Airport. He now works 18 hours • support people who have been per week and can afford to live unemployed for more than six independently and go on holidays. months and want to set up their Ian says: “I really like the people own business through the New I work with and my wage”. His Enterprise Allowance. Initially, the sister says: “Having a job really New Enterprise Allowance will be makes him feel part of society.” 22

The Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain The Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain Section 3: Opening up public services and empowering individuals and communities

Aim: Devolving power to local minorities in the Westminster communities and promoting Parliament increased following the greater participation and 2010 general election, women, inclusion in public, political and ethnic minorities, disabled people community life. and others are still under- represented in our democratic We are committed to devolving structures.19 power and control to citizens and local communities. We will open up Increasing participation will enable public services to local community communities to create services groups, give citizens more choice which are designed by the people and control in their daily lives and who will use them. promote greater participation in public life. Ensuring everyone Action has a voice in our democratic institutions, civil society and local Devolving power and control communities, makes Britain’s This government recognises the democracy stronger, improves significant and valuable contribution accountability and gives all our that faith groups, local community citizens the chance to influence and groups, charities and civic shape the decisions that affect their organisations make to society. We daily lives. will empower them to become more involved in delivering public services. Despite progress, there is more to These groups are often better do to ensure everyone can at drawing in under-represented participate in public, political and people than government, opening community life. For example, while up delivery of public services to a the proportion of women and ethnic broader range of participants.

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And we will give individuals would mean approximately one themselves more choice and control million people would receive direct over the services that they receive. payments or personal budgets – Services which are designed by the up from 216,000 at the moment; people who use them are more • test the Right to Control in five appropriate for individuals, more initial Trailblazer areas from responsive to their needs and more December 2010. Disabled people effective in delivering the outcomes taking part will have a legal right we want. We will: to be told how much support they • open up delivery of public services are eligible to receive, to decide to local community groups, and agree the outcomes they want charities, faith groups, to achieve and will have choice and other civic organisations; and control over how they receive • provide a £100 million Transition support; Fund to help those voluntary • protect funding for the Disabled and community organisations, Facilities Grant, helping maintain charities, social enterprises, the independence of many cooperatives and user-led groups disabled people by providing in England who can provide public support for adaptations such as services, manage transition to a stair lifts, walk-in showers and tighter funding environment and extensions to their home. a new way of working with the public sector; • through the Government’s Vision for Adult Social Care: Capable Communities and Active Citizens, launched on 16 November 2010, challenge councils to provide personal budgets, preferably as direct payments, for everyone who is eligible by April 2013. This

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Case Study people from all backgrounds and abilities an opportunity to develop Cardinal Hume Centre in London the skills needed to be active and works with homeless young responsible citizens, mix with people, families with housing people from different backgrounds needs, refugees, asylum seekers and start getting involved in their and migrants helping them to communities; obtain employment and break out of the cycle of homelessness and • provide extra support to tackle social exclusion. Through providing the particular obstacles faced by a full range of services – disabled people who want to accommodation, practical and become MPs, councillors or other emotional support, healthcare and elected officials; and counselling, education, training • consider ways to support LGB&T and employment advice all on one people to get more involved in site, they help young people to their community – ranging from make their own choices, enabling becoming a school governor to them to find a future they can call standing for Parliament – based on their own. research due to be published later this year on the barriers that LGB&T people face when they Widening participation want to participate in civil society. We are committed to promoting greater participation in public life. We will also: To do this, we must remove the • work with the Mayor of London barriers to full participation. We will: to ensure a safe and successful • train a new generation of Olympic and Paralympics Games, community organisers to work and a lasting legacy that promotes with communities to catalyse inclusion and encourages wider social action; participation in sport among all • under the National Citizen Service sections of society across the programme, pilot a structured whole of the UK; summer programme to give young 25 The Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain The Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain

• inspire a generation of young people to get involved in competitive school sport through the new Olympic and Paralympic- style competition. This will give all schools (mainstream and special) and all pupils (including those with disabilities or special educational needs) the opportunity to get involved; and • ensure a wider sporting, social and economic legacy from London 2012 across the UK and inspire a new era in public attitudes towards inclusion and equality. In particular, we are committed to using the opportunity of the Paralympic Games to help change attitudes and perceptions towards disabled people.

26 The Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain The Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain Section 4: Changing culture and attitudes

Aim: building respect for all, Changing cultures and tackling discrimination, hate attitudes crime and violence. Challenging and changing attitudes The message of this government is among young people is key to clear – this is a society where ensuring we continue to become a discrimination is not tolerated and more tolerant society. Government those who seek to undermine needs to lead by example. We will: communities through fomenting • introduce the new Equality Duty, hatred and division will be which will require all public bodies challenged. Attitudes are changing. to have due regard to the need to We are a more diverse and fairer foster good relations between society: the citizenship survey found different groups. We will issue that 85 per cent of respondents clear guidance so that agreed that people from different organisations know what they backgrounds in their local area get need to do on this; on well together.20 • work with anti-bullying organisations with a proven track But the sad reality remains that too record of tackling prejudice-based many people are victims of bullying, to support schools discrimination and hate crime in tackling all forms of bullying, in the UK today. We have strong including homophobic and legislation designed to tackle transphobic bullying. We will discrimination and hate crime, and reinforce this through our we will continue to ensure that streamlined guidance on bullying tough action is taken where people and have included action to tackle break the law. But legislation alone bullying in the Schools White will not be able to change the paper; attitudes that lie behind this • work with governing bodies of behaviour. We will work with different sports to tackle communities to promote positive homophobia and transphobia in interactions, build connections and sport; trust between people. 27 The Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain The Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain

• publish research on how to prevent • continue to work with the and respond to the bullying of Government’s Independent disabled children and children with Advisory Group on Hate Crime. Special Education Needs (SEN); Membership includes advisors on • crack down on irresponsible race, religion and belief, sexual advertising and marketing, orientation, disability and gender especially to children, and take identity issues; steps to tackle the • continue to be alert to crimes commercialisation and being committed against members sexualisation of childhood; and of all faith communities and work • bring together a group of experts with local communities to take to work to identify non-legislative appropriate steps to safeguard solutions to tackling low levels of people and property; body confidence. • promote good practice in responding to all forms of hate Tackling violence and crime – for example, as part hate crime of government’s wider approach to tackling internet crime, we will We are committed to putting in be hosting a ministerial seminar on place more effective measures to effective action to tackle hatred tackle hate crime and the violence perpetrated over the Internet; and that often accompanies it. We will: • publish a full cross-government • promote better recording of all action plan to tackle violence hate crimes, but particularly those against women and girls in the which at present are often not spring. We have already centrally recorded, for example, committed to putting funding for against disabled people and rape crisis centres on a stable LGB&T people; basis, with money for new centres • encourage those who experience where there are gaps in provision. hate crime to report it;

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Fairer criminal records • review the regime for the management of criminal records, We will address unfairness in the the process for disclosure and the way we retain and use criminal vetting and barring regime to scale information. The National DNA it back to common sense levels. Database contains a greater proportion of young black men than in the general population because A more inclusive society proportionately more are arrested, Over 40,000 couples in the UK have charged and convicted. But over- taken the important step to register representation is greater at arrest their relationship as a civil than at conviction. We will: partnership, gaining vital legal rights, • adopt the protections of the responsibilities and protections where Scottish model of DNA retention, previously they had none. We are vastly reducing the numbers on talking to those with a key interest in the National DNA database who this issue, including representatives of have not been convicted. We will faith and lesbian, gay and bisexual also ensure that all of those with groups, about what the next stage convictions in the past for serious should be for civil partnerships, and offences have a DNA profile on the including how some religious Database, ensuring maximum organisations can allow same-sex protection of the public from these couples the opportunity to register individuals; their relationship in a religious setting • change the law so people with if they wish to do so. historical convictions for consensual gay sex with over 16s Promoting rights can apply for their record to be internationally deleted from the Police National Almost one in ten British citizens Computer, ensuring lives, works or studies abroad; more it no longer has to be declared and than ever before.21 We will work to will not show up on criminal protect and promote the rights of record checks; and British citizens abroad and use our

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influence to change culture and and disabled people23 – and set attitudes and promote equality, a good example through our leading by example. We will: domestic implementation of these • use our UK representation at conventions and through the European Union (EU), United periodic reporting system; Nations (UN), Council of Europe, • stop the deportation of asylum the Organization for Security and seekers who have had to leave Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) particular countries because their and Commonwealth meetings sexual orientation or gender to promote equality; identity puts them at proven risk • update the list of overseas same- of imprisonment, torture or sex partnerships automatically execution; recognised by the UK as equivalent • recognise the vital role of women to UK civil partnerships and work in development, and seek to bilaterally with other European increase the number of women countries to overcome the and girls in education; improve legislative or policy barriers which maternal health and access to prevent them recognising UK civil family planning; improve economic partnerships; empowerment of women through • proactively question 42 jobs; promote gender equality; Commonwealth countries which and focus on the rights of women, retain homophobic legislation22, children and disabled people to with a particular focus on those access services; and countries which have the death • Work with UN Women to ensure it penalty for homosexual acts; focuses on key priorities, including • continue to push for universal violence against women and the ratification and implementation delivery of the Millennium of the UN conventions on racial Development Goals, and delivers discrimination and discrimination real progress for women and girls against women, and those worldwide. promoting the rights of children

30 The Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain The Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain Section 5: Making it happen

Aim: the public sector will lead • introduce a new right to see data by example and empower so that government-held data can citizens and communities with be requested and used by the the information they need to public and published; hold services to account. • ensure information is accessible to all. Through the e-Accessibility This strategy sets out a new Regulatory Framework, we are direction and that means a new working with the IT Industry to role for the public sector with ensure their products meet the government focusing on needs of older and disabled transparency, accountability and people; and empowerment. • ensure that all government websites meet e-accessibility More accountable and standards. We have developed transparent public and disseminated guidance for services government staff on accessible Underpinning our work on fairness and inclusive communications, is our commitment to transparency including creating accessible and devolving power to the public. consultations, video and easy Through transparency, the public read standards. will be able to hold those delivering Equality at the heart of public services to account. We will: government • introduce the new public sector Equality Duty. Through this Duty We will put equality at the heart of we will remove the top-down government, ensuring that we lead targets and bureaucratic processes by example, embed equalities across that the current duties entail and all departments and work in instead require public bodies to partnership with business, publish data on the equality community groups and wider society results in their services and their to deliver tangible results. workforce; 31 The Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain The Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain

We will: • through the Office for Disability • ensure every department continues Issues, continue to work with to work to promote diversity, for Equality 2025 and to address the example, through internship specific barriers that disabled schemes to widen access to the people face due to the asymmetric civil service for those who are nature of disability, involving currently under-represented such disabled people in developing as ethnic minorities and disabled policy; people; • implement the first ever cross- • listen to and involve the public and government programme to partners in the development of support LGB&T people. We also policy, including through a new recognise there are specific issues strategy for engaging with women that transgender people face and and women’s organisations; we will therefore work with • involve older people in our work transgender people to develop the on age discrimination through the first Government Action Plan on UK Advisory Forum on Ageing; transgender equality next year; • continue to work with other expert • ensure child poverty concerns are groups such as the independent built into policy-making across Ethnic Minority Advisory Group government, supported by the (EMAG), which works in Child Poverty Unit, jointly partnership with government to sponsored by Department for provide advice on ethnic minority Education (DfE), HM Treasury employment issues and has (HMT) and Department for Work developed and published a free and Pensions (DWP); toolkit titled 5-Points for Progress. • reform the Equality and Human It contains the key steps employers Rights Commission (EHRC) so that should take to recruit the best it concentrates on its key roles talent for their organisation, how to as a modern regulator and as a reduce employee turnover and national human rights institution; reduce related costs; and

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• ensure departments take We will work with people, responsibility for and ownership of communities and businesses to progressing equality commitments. empower them to enact change. We have set up an Inter-Ministerial Only if we do that; only if we work Group on Equalities to address with the grain of human nature, not common issues, oversee the against it, will we achieve the fairer, implementation of this strategy more equal and more prosperous and report annually on progress. society that we all want to see.

Conclusion Equality is not an add-on, but an integral part of this government’s commitment to build a stronger economy and fairer society. This strategy sets out a new approach to delivering equality: one that moves away from treating people as groups or ‘equality strands’ and instead recognises that we are a nation of 62 million individuals.

Government will act as a leader, a catalyst and an advocate for change. We will continue to make targeted interventions where these will make a real difference, but on its own government can only ever make limited progress.

33 The Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain The Equality Strategy - Building a Fairer Britain References 1 Office of National Statistics (ONS) Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. (2009). cited in Working Towards Equality, published Government Equality Office (GEO). (2009); and Metcalf, H. (2009). Pay Gaps Across the Equality Strands: A Review. Research Report 14, Manchester, Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). 2 Office of National Statistics (ONS). (2004). GB: Economic Activity Rates for people of working age by ethnic group and sex found that men from black Caribbean, black African, Bangladeshi and mixed ethnic groups had the highest unemployment rates (13 to 14 per cent) compared to the rates for white British and white Irish men (5 per cent in each case). Pakistani women had the highest unemployment rates in Great Britain, at 20 per cent. The next highest female rates were among women from the black African or mixed ethnic groups (each 12 per cent), compared with the rates for white British and white Irish women (4 per cent each). The 2009/10 annual population survey indicated that the overall ethnic minority employment rate in the UK is 58.4 per cent compared to 70.2 per cent for the population as a whole. 3 National Equality Panel Analysis of the Labour Force Survey (2006 to 2008): p114, Fig 4.3(a): Employment Status by religious affiliation, men, UK found that just over 60 per cent of Muslim men were in paid, full or part-time employment or self-employed, compared to around 80 per cent for Hindus, Christians and those of no faith. The 2009/10 annual population survey indicated that the working-age employment rate for UK Muslims is 45.9 per cent compared to 70.2 per cent for the population as a whole. 4 Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). (2008). Youth Cohort Study and Longitudinal Study of Young People in England. http:// www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SBU/b000795/index.shtml; In addition to this a number of studies have pointed to bullying of particular groups: eg Interfaith report. (2008). Beat Bullying, London: Interfaith; and Stonewall. (2007). School’s Out: the Experience of Young Gay People in Britain’s Schools, London. 5 Data supplied by the Crown Prosecution Management Information System. (cited in EHRC Triennial Review).

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6 Williams, B. et al. (2008). Experiences and Expectations of Disabled People. A research report for ODI, London; ONS Omnibus Survey, 2009; and Labour Force Survey Quarter 2, 2010; Data for adults with learning disabilities receiving adult social services, NHS Information Centre, 2010. See also http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/research/ disability_skills_and_employment.doc 7 Feinstein, L. (2003). Very Early: How early can we predict future educational achievement? CentrePiece. http://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/ download/CP146.pdf 8 EHRC Triennial Review. (2010). Figures based on life expectancy at birth, using ONS data. 9 Allmark, P. et al. (2010). Life and Health: An evidence reviews and synthesis for the Equality and Human Rights Commission, University of Sheffield Hallam Analysis of Scotland’s Population 2008 – The Registrar General’s Annual Review of Demographic Trends – Chapter 3 Deaths. Available at: http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/publications-and- data/annual-report-publications/annual-review-2008/figures-chapter3. html 10 DCSF. (2008/9). GCSE Attainment by pupil characteristics, England. 11 The EHRC Triennial review http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/ uploaded_files/triennial_review/how_fair_is_britain_ch10.pdf pp 312-3) cites the exclusion rate for white British pupils is 9 per 10,000 pupils and the rate for black Caribbean pupils is 30 per 10,000 pupils. See also DCSF, (2009). Permanent and fixed period exclusions from schools and exclusion appeals in England, 2007/08. Statistical First Release 18/2009. Available at: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000942/index. shtml Accessed 21/10/2010. 12 National Audit Office. (2008). Increasing Employment Rates for Ethnic Minorities. The Stationery Office, London. 13 Women and Work Commission. (2006). Shaping a Fairer Future. London, GEO.

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14 HMG. Call to End Violence Against Women and Girls. (2010). www.homeoffice.gov.uk/VAWG, citing Jarvinen, J. et al. (2008). New Philanthropy Capital Hard Knock Life: Violence against women, A guide for donors. New Philanthropy Capital www.philanthropycapital.org/ publications/community/violence_against_women/default.aspx and Walby, S. The Cost of Domestic Violence: Up-date 2009. Lancaster University. 15 Bohnet, I., van Geen, A. and Bazerman, M. When Performance Dominates Gender Bias: Joint vs Separate Evaluation. Harvard Kennedy School. 16 Olsen, W. (2010). Study on Gender Pay Gap. University of Manchester. 17 Kirkup, G. et al. (2010). Women and men in science, engineering and technology: the UK statistics guide 2010. UKRC Bradford. 18 Adapted from Talent not Tokenism: The Business Benefits of Workforce Diversity. Publ EHRC, TUC, CBI. (2008). 19 A number of sources including: • House of Commons Information Office. (2010). Women in the House of Commons. Factsheet M4: Members Series. Page 7. Available at: http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-information-office/ m04.pdf Accessed 25/08/2010. • Cracknell, R. (2010). General Election 2010: detailed analysis. House of Commons Briefing Paper 10/36. Section 7, page 45. Available at: http://www.parliament.uk/briefingpapers/commons/lib/research/ rp2010/RP10-036.pdf • European Commission. (2010). Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities: Gender balance in Decision-Making. http://ec.europa. eu/social/main.jsp?catId=774&langId=en • Fieldhouse, E. et al. (2009a). National Census of local authority councillors in England 2008, National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), Slough. http://www.nfer.ac.uk/nfer/publications/ LGZ01/LGZ01.pdf and

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• Fieldhouse, E. et al. (2009b). Taylor, E., et al. (2010). Office for Disability Issues (ODI). (2010). Indicator E1 – Volunteering, Citizenship survey. London. http://www.officefordisability.gov.uk/roadmap2025/ indicators.php# 20 Communities and Local Government. (2010). Citizenship Survey: 2009/10 (April 2009 – March 2010), England, Cohesion Research Statistical Release 12. 21 Sriskandarahaj, D. and Drew, C. (2006). Brits Abroad: Mapping the Scale and Nature of British Emigration. IPPR Report www.ippr.org/ publicationsandreports 22 Ottoson, D. (2010). A world survey of laws prohibiting same sex activity between consenting adults. ILGA Report, London. 23 The International Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination; the Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women; the Convention on the Rights of the Child; the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

37 For further copies of this document or to learn more about how government is progressing these commitments, please visit the Government Equalities Office website at www.equalities.gov.uk

If you would like this publication in an alternative format, please contact us at:

Government Equalities Office, 9th Floor, Eland House, Bressenden Place, London SW1E 5DU Telephone 0303 444 1204 Email: [email protected]