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Section 13: Direct discrimination

Equality Act 2010 · 2010 c. 15View on legislation.gov.uk

Part 2: Equality: key concepts — Chapter 2: Prohibited conduct

A person (A) discriminates against another (B) if, because of a protected characteristic, A treats B less favourably than A treats or would treat others.

If the protected characteristic is age, A does not discriminate against B if A can show A's treatment of B to be a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.

If the protected characteristic is disability, and B is not a disabled person, A does not discriminate against B only because A treats or would treat disabled persons more favourably than A treats B.

If the protected characteristic is marriage and civil partnership, this section applies to a contravention of Part 5 (work) only if the treatment is because it is B who is married or a civil partner.

If the protected characteristic is race, less favourable treatment includes segregating B from others.

If the protected characteristic is sex—

less favourable treatment of a woman includes less favourable treatment of her because she is breast-feeding;
in a case where B is a man, no account is to be taken of special treatment afforded to a woman in connection with pregnancy , childbirth or maternity.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

This section is subject to sections 17(6) and 18(7).

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This legislation text comes from legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. These source and reuse terms cover the legislation text, not Remedy's commentary.

Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.