Free guidance on discrimination at work under the Equality Act 2010, the 9 protected characteristics, how to raise a grievance, and how to bring a claim to an employment tribunal.
The Equality Act 2010 protects against discrimination based on 9 protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.
There is no cap on compensation for discrimination claims at the employment tribunal. You can claim from day one of employment with no qualifying period.
Key areas covered: Equality Act 2010, protected characteristics, direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, harassment, victimisation. Verified against GOV.UK and ACAS.
For most types of discrimination, showing you were treated less favourably than someone else in a comparable situation strengthens a claim, though pregnancy and maternity discrimination don't require this — unfavourable treatment alone is enough.
Direct discrimination is being treated less favourably specifically because of a protected characteristic. Indirect discrimination is a policy that applies to everyone but disproportionately disadvantages people with a particular characteristic, without objective justification.
UK Work Rights provides free, plain English guidance to help you understand where you stand. Our AI-powered checkers are regularly updated against GOV.UK, ACAS, Shelter, and Citizens Advice to ensure accuracy. We cover 74 free AI rights checkers and 39 guides across employment, housing, benefits, consumer, driving, family and more.
While our guidance covers the vast majority of common situations, complex or high-stakes cases may benefit from professional advice. For employment issues contact ACAS (free) or the Citizens Advice helpline on 0800 144 8848. For housing, Shelter can help on 0808 800 4444.
For Discrimination at Work queries we direct you to official specialist sources with accurate, up-to-date guidance.
Need free advice? Citizens Advice — citizensadvice.org.uk or call 0800 144 8848 (free).
📖 Want the full picture? Read our guide: Whistleblowing & Discrimination
Do I need a comparator to prove discrimination?
For most types of discrimination, showing you were treated less favourably than someone else in a comparable situation strengthens a claim, though pregnancy and maternity discrimination don't require this — unfavourable treatment alone is enough.
What's the difference between direct and indirect discrimination?
Direct discrimination is being treated less favourably specifically because of a protected characteristic. Indirect discrimination is a policy that applies to everyone but disproportionately disadvantages people with a particular characteristic, without objective justification.
How long do I have to bring a discrimination claim?
Generally 3 months minus 1 day from the discriminatory act (six months less one day for acts on or after 1 October 2026), though you must contact ACAS for early conciliation first, which pauses this time limit for its duration.
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