{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/equality-act-2010/section-14",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/equality-act-2010/section-14.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/2010/15",
  "legislation_title": "Equality Act 2010",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/equality-act-2010",
  "path": "section/14",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "14",
  "heading": "Combined discrimination: dual characteristics",
  "text": "(1) A person (A) discriminates against another (B) if, because of a combination of two relevant protected characteristics, A treats B less favourably than A treats or would treat a person who does not share either of those characteristics.\n(2) The relevant protected characteristics are—\n(a) age;\n(b) disability;\n(c) gender reassignment;\n(d) race\n(e) religion or belief;\n(f) sex;\n(g) sexual orientation.\n(3) For the purposes of establishing a contravention of this Act by virtue of subsection (1), B need not show that A's treatment of B is direct discrimination because of each of the characteristics in the combination (taken separately).\n(4) But B cannot establish a contravention of this Act by virtue of subsection (1) if, in reliance on another provision of this Act or any other enactment, A shows that A's treatment of B is not direct discrimination because of either or both of the characteristics in the combination.\n(5) Subsection (1) does not apply to a combination of characteristics that includes disability in circumstances where, if a claim of direct discrimination because of disability were to be brought, it would come within section 116 (special educational needs).\n(6) A Minister of the Crown may by order amend this section so as to—\n(a) make further provision about circumstances in which B can, or in which B cannot, establish a contravention of this Act by virtue of subsection (1);\n(b) specify other circumstances in which subsection (1) does not apply.\n(7) The references to direct discrimination are to a contravention of this Act by virtue of section 13.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": "prospective",
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/section/14",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:10:05.794452+00:00",
    "licence": "OGL-UK-3.0",
    "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
    "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
  }
}