Not directly on disability, but the UK government has said it proposes to bring the socio-economic duty into force in England.
The socio-economic duty is in s.1 EqA, which says broadly that public authorities must, when making decisions of a strategic nature, have due regard to the desirability of reducing the inequalities of outcome which result from socio-economic disadvantage.
However the Coalition and Conservative governments (2010 to 2024) never brought s.1 into force in England. It is in force in Scotland (from April 2018, known as the Fairer Scotland Duty) and in Wales (from 31 March 2021).
The UK government said in an October 2026 response to a call for evidence, Equality law call for evidence (gov.uk), that it has established a new Class Unit to focus on improving the lives of
low-income families, disadvantaged communities and rooting out child poverty. It said one of
the unit’s early priorities will be the commencement of the socio-economic duty. It said the Office for Equality and Opportunity (OEO) is:
… committed to ensuring commencement of the duty in England is as effective as possible, driving efforts across the country to break down barriers to opportunity. To do so, we are developing statutory guidance and working with public authorities that will be in scope of the duty to ensure it supports them.
October 2026 response to call for evidence Equality law call for evidence (gov.uk)
In August 2025, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) published new research exploring the ‘experiences of duty-bearers in Scotland and Wales, as public bodies in England prepare for UK government plans to roll out the socio-economic duty’: EHRC publishes new research on socio-economic duty implementation ahead of introduction in England (equalityhumanrights.com).
Labour said it would implement this duty in “Labour’s Plan to make work pay” (pdf, labour.org.uk), May 2024, and – as a government – confirmed it in Next Steps to Make Work Pay (gov.uk), October 2024.
PSED
There is already a duty on public bodies in relation to disability and most other protected characteristics: the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED). However, as briefly discussed at that link, the PSED has major weaknesses compared with normal discrimination claims brought to an employment tribunal or County Court. The socio-ecomonic duty is likely to share those legal weaknesses. Also ‘socio-economic status’ is not a protected characteristic, so (unless further changes are made) there will be no right for an individual to claim it under the normal discrimination provisions.
The socio-economic duty has some further limitations compared with the PSED, for example it only applies when making decisions of a strategic nature.
The government’s April 2025 call for evidence Equality law call for evidence (gov.uk) also sought views and evidence on improving compliance with the general PSED by non-public bodies exercising public functions.
