Race
The Race Relations Act 1976
The Race Relations Act 1976 (RRA) prohibits discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, nationality (including citizenship), and ethnic or national origin. It outlaws discrimination in all aspects of employment, as well as in education, housing, and the provision of goods, facilities, and services. The RRA covers direct and indirect discrimination, harassment, and victimisation.
Examples of racial discrimination:
- It is likely to be direct racial discrimination if an employer decides not to promote a black person because of concerns about how their leadership would be accepted by a predominantly white staff team.
- It is likely to be indirect racial discrimination if an employer has an informal “by word of mouth” recruitment practice if it could be shown to favour one racial group over others.
In 2000, the RRA was amended to place a general duty on public authorities to promote racial equality. The scope of the RRA was also extended to make it unlawful for public bodies to discriminate while carrying out any of their functions.
For more information, please see the Commission for Racial Equality website at www.cre.gov.uk.
Criminal Law
Inciting racial hatred is a criminal offence, and criminal law includes racially-aggravated offences. For more information, please Incitement to Religious Hatred and Religiously-Aggravated Offences.
