News from Equality and Human Rights Commission 

Welcome to the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s latest stakeholder newsletter, covering our recent work.  

Legal agreement with Welsh Rugby Union concluded 

We have concluded our legal agreement with the Welsh Rugby Union after assessing that it has made sufficient progress in addressing concerns identified through an independent review of its workplace culture. The agreement was put in place in 2024 following findings of sexism, racism and homophobia within the organisation.  

As part of the agreement, the WRU strengthened its policies and reporting procedures, introduced training on sexual harassment, improved risk assessment processes and established independent oversight on equality and inclusion. The improvements are designed to help protect staff from discrimination and harassment and support a more inclusive workplace culture. 

New assessments highlight progress and gaps on economic and social rights 

We have published new assessments on our Human Rights Tracker examining how well the UK and Welsh governments are progressing against recommendations made by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR). Our assessments cover issues including child poverty, housing, healthcare, education and support for asylum seekers and identify areas where action has been taken, as well as where further progress is needed. 

The assessments support transparency and accountability by making it easier to monitor government action on their international human rights commitments. 

Consultation on equality act guidance for schools 

We are running a consultation on our updated technical guidance in schools. 

There is different guidance in England, Scotland and Wales. We are consulting on the guidance for each nation. 

The consultation is open from 10 June 2026 and will close on 30 September 2026. The guidance will help schools understand and apply their responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010, covering areas such as admissions, exclusions, reasonable adjustments and access to facilities and services.  

We are particularly seeking feedback from those working in education, equality specialists and representative organisations to help ensure the guidance is clear, practical and reflects real-world situations. The consultation focuses on whether the guidance explains existing legal obligations effectively and where further clarification may be helpful.  

Your feedback will help shape the final guidance used by schools across Great Britain. 

Code of Practice for services, public functions and associations 

The updated Code of Practice for services, public functions and associations came into force on Wednesday 5 August 2026 having received ministerial approval and been laid before Parliament.  

The Code provides practical guidance on how the Equality Act 2010 applies to services, public functions and association, explaining the steps needed to ensure people are not discriminated against, harassed or victimised in relation to the nine protected characteristics set out in the Act.  

It does not create new law or impose new legal obligations. Instead, it offers legally accurate, impartial and up-to-date guidance on existing law, helping organisations comply with it, legal advisers interpret it, and courts and tribunals apply it.  

Meetings and engagements 

Our Chair, Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson, has continued to engage with stakeholders across civil society helping to strengthen relationships and inform discussions on equality and human rights. Recent meetings included the Centre for Mental Health, the Darlington Nursing Union, NION Women and Amnesty International, covering a range of issues affecting protected groups and wider human rights protections. 

Alongside this, our Chief Executive, John Kirkpatrick, met with the Office for Students to discuss areas of shared interest and ongoing priorities. These engagements support our work to build partnerships, share expertise and advance equality and human rights across Great Britain. 

Advising government and parliaments 

Protecting workers from the misuse of NDAs 

We have responded to the Department for Business and Trade's consultation on the misuse of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in cases of workplace harassment and discrimination. We support the proposed ban and have recommended robust safeguards for the limited circumstances where confidentiality arrangements may still be used at a worker's request.

Our response calls for access to independent legal advice, protections against coercion and greater accountability for employers. We expect the response to be published by the Department for Business and Trade when the consultation concludes. 

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