Community research and consultation

The Single Equality Act requires public bodies to additional account of the needs of people who share a characteristic which may affect the manner in which they use services. These are known as 'protected characteristics' . Please use the links below to read the information we will be using to help us set priorities up until 2015. We will also take into account any demographic data that we have in the county, and will continue to undertake research with residents to identify needs.

• Age

  The Equality Act 2010 provides protection against discrimination due to age on respect of employment and access to goods and services. The legislation only protects people aged 18 and over, however we will also take in to account the needs of young people under 18 when making decisions, as laid out in Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

• Disability

  The Equality Act 2010 protects anyone who has, or has had, a disability, and also offers protection to people who are associated with a disabled person, for example, a parent with a disabled child, or people who are mistakenly thought to have a disability.

• Gender reassignment

  Under the Equality Act a person is protected if that person is proposing to undergo, is undergoing or has undergone a process (or part), for the purpose of reassigning their sex by changing physiological or other attributes of sex.

• Race

  The Equality Act 2010 includes race as a protected characteristic, this includes discrimination on grounds of colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin.

• Religion or belief

  In order to be protected under the Equality Act 2010, a religion or belief must be recognised as having a clear structure and belief system, and be shared by a majority of people practicing that faith. Religious belief goes beyond beliefs about and adherence to a religion or its central articles of faith and may vary from person to person within the same religion.

• Sexual orientation

  The Equality Act 2010 has extended the scope of the previous legislation, to provide full protection for lesbian gay and bi-sexual people (LGB) both in employment and in access to goods and services.