The legal requirement for every school, hospital and local council to actively promote equality in every decision could be scrapped under plans to be unveiled by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch on Tuesday.
Key Points
- ✅ Badenoch set to announce abolition of the Public Sector Equality Duty
- ⚡ Duty currently forces public bodies to consider equality impacts in decisions
- 💡 Move would affect 24,000 schools, 1.2 million NHS staff and 200 councils
In a speech to the Centre for Policy Studies in Westminster, Badenoch will argue the duty has created a bureaucratic maze that undermines frontline services. "It’s not about equality—it’s about box-ticking," she is expected to say. "Parents want teachers teaching, doctors treating and councils fixing potholes—not filling out forms about gender pay gaps."
The Public Sector Equality Duty, introduced in 2010 under the Equality Act, mandates that bodies like the Department for Education, NHS Trusts and local authorities must show "due regard" to eliminating discrimination and advancing equality across nine protected characteristics. Critics say it has led to delays in decisions, increased legal risks and a culture of risk aversion in public institutions.
💡 Pro Tip
Public bodies should prepare for potential legal challenges if the duty is scrapped. Experts warn that without clear guidance, institutions may face inconsistent enforcement and heightened scrutiny from equality campaigners.
Badenoch’s intervention comes amid growing frustration within the Conservative Party over what some MPs describe as "woke bureaucracy" clogging up public services. Last month, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan confirmed the government is reviewing the duty’s impact on schools, with results expected by next spring. A Whitehall source said the review is "serious," with ministers considering whether the current framework is "proportionate or counterproductive."
| Impact Area | Current Duty | Proposed Change |
|---|---|---|
| School Admissions | Must consider socio-economic background | No legal obligation to prioritise equality |
| NHS Staffing | Must monitor gender pay gap annually | No mandatory reporting requirements |
| Council Procurement | Must assess impact on disabled communities | Discretionary approach allowed |
Opposition leaders have already condemned the plans. Labour’s shadow equality minister, Anneliese Dodds, said: "This isn’t about reducing bureaucracy—it’s about rolling back hard-won rights. The Conservatives want to turn back the clock on equality, and that’s dangerous." Liberal Democrat equalities spokesperson Christine Jardine added: "Scrapping this duty won’t save money—it will cost lives, as vulnerable groups lose protections in access to healthcare and education."
📋 By The Numbers
- 2010 — Year the Public Sector Equality Duty was introduced
- 9 — Number of protected characteristics under the Equality Act
- £120m — Estimated annual cost to public bodies of complying with the duty
Badenoch’s speech will also signal a broader shift in the party’s approach to equality, with plans to replace the duty with a new framework focused on "meritocracy and individual responsibility." But leaked drafts of the proposal reveal no clear mechanism to replace the existing protections, raising concerns among civil servants about a potential legal vacuum. One senior civil servant said: "You can’t just rip up the rules without knowing what comes next."
- Immediate — Public bodies will face uncertainty over compliance after Tuesday’s announcement
- By Spring 2025 — Government review of the duty’s impact on schools to conclude
- 2026 — Potential legislative scrapping if Conservatives retain power
The move represents one of the most significant rollbacks of equality protections in a decade, with wide-ranging implications for how public money is spent, who gets access to services and how institutions are held accountable. For parents, patients and communities, the question is no longer about whether change is coming—but what replaces what is being taken away.
