The Equality Bill has now been published. Amongst other things it will extend protection against age discrimination beyond the workplace to the provision of goods, facilities and services.

The Government says the Bill is needed to help simplify discrimination law and tackle the inequality and discrimination that still exist in Britain today, despite previous legislation and wider action over the past 40 years.

The Bill will make it unlawful to discriminate against someone aged 18 and over when providing services or carrying out public functions – including health and social care, and some financial services such as travel insurance.

During the summer the Government plans to consult on details of the new law – and alongside this, negotiations are taking place in the European Council on a proposed new EU Directive on Equal Treatment, which could also cover age discrimination outside the workplace.

The new law applying to age will be implemented in phases - starting with those sectors most ready to comply. The legislation in respect of financial services and all other services, with the exception of health and social care, is expected to be in force by 2012.

A review has been set up to review what practical action is needed to tackle age discrimination in health and social care which is expected to report in October this year.

The Bill will not remove some of the special concessions that currently apply to older people – such as free bus passes or cheaper cinema tickets.

In addition the Bill will: 

• Introduce a new public sector duty to consider reducing socio-economic inequalities.
• Put a new Equality Duty on public bodies.
• Use procurement as a lever to improve equality.
• Introduce gender pay reports for employers with 250 or more employees.
• Ban secrecy or ‘gagging’ clauses which stop employees discussing their pay with colleagues.
• Extend the scope to use ‘positive action’ and extend the permission for political parties to use women-only shortlists until 2030.
• Strengthen the powers of employment tribunals to make recommendations which benefit the whole workforce and not just the individual who won the claim.
• Protect carers and breast-feeding mothers from discrimination.
• Ban discrimination in private clubs.
• Strengthen protection from discrimination for disabled people.