Step 2: Check the situation where you were discriminated against

This is step 2 of 3

To work out if you’ve experienced discrimination under the Equality Act, you need to follow 3 steps:

• Step 1: Check it was because of a protected characteristic

• Step 2: Check the situation where you were discriminated against - you’re on this step

• Step 3: Check the type of discrimination

If you need help to follow the steps

If you need help or you’re not sure what discrimination is, you can check how to work out if you’ve experienced discrimination.

The Equality Act protects you from discrimination in the following situations:

• at work - for example by your employer 

• in education - for example your school, college or university

• using a business or service - like a shop or a train company

• getting healthcare or care - for example in a hospital or care home

• in housing - for example a landlord or estate agent

• using a public service - for example the police or your local council

• using a club or association - like a sports club

It might be discrimination if both:

• what you experienced happened in any of these situations

• it was done by someone who worked in that situation - for example, if it happened in housing and your landlord did it

If both of these apply, follow step 3 - check the type of discrimination.

The rules are different if a customer or service user discriminated against you.

If a customer or service user discriminateds against you

It isn’t usually discrimination - unless the business or service could have stopped it happening. 

For example, it might be discrimination if someone at your local leisure centre regularly harasses you and the staff don’t do anything to stop it - even though you keeps complaining.

If you think the business or service could have stopped it happening, follow step 3 - check the type of discrimination. 

If it happened in a different situation

It might not be discrimination. For example if someone treated you unfairly or harassed you in a park or on public transport, it probably won’t be discrimination. 

You should check if you can take action in a different way. You can:

• check if it was a hate crime

• check if it was criminal harassment