{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/equality-act-2010/section-31",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/equality-act-2010/section-31.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/2010/15",
  "legislation_title": "Equality Act 2010",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/equality-act-2010",
  "path": "section/31",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "31",
  "heading": "Interpretation and exceptions",
  "text": "(1) This section applies for the purposes of this Part.\n(2) A reference to the provision of a service includes a reference to the provision of goods or facilities.\n(3) A reference to the provision of a service includes a reference to the provision of a service in the exercise of a public function.\n(4) A public function is a function that is a function of a public nature for the purposes of the Human Rights Act 1998.\n(5) Where an employer arranges for another person to provide a service only to the employer's employees—\n(a) the employer is not to be regarded as the service-provider, but\n(b) the employees are to be regarded as a section of the public.\n(6) A reference to a person requiring a service includes a reference to a person who is seeking to obtain or use the service.\n(7) A reference to a service-provider not providing a person with a service includes a reference to—\n(a) the service-provider not providing the person with a service of the quality that the service-provider usually provides to the public (or the section of it which includes the person), or\n(b) the service-provider not providing the person with the service in the manner in which, or on the terms on which, the service-provider usually provides the service to the public (or the section of it which includes the person).\n(8) In relation to the provision of a service by either House of Parliament, the service-provider is the Corporate Officer of the House concerned; and if the service involves access to, or use of, a place in the Palace of Westminster which members of the public are allowed to enter, both Corporate Officers are jointly the service-provider.\n(9) Schedule 2 (reasonable adjustments) has effect.\n(10) Schedule 3 (exceptions) has effect.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "S. 31 wholly in force at 1.10.2012; s. 31 not in force at Royal Assent see s. 216; s. 31 in force for certain purposes at 1.10.2010 by S.I. 2010/2317, art. 2(3); s. 31(9) in force so far as not already in force at 1.9.2012 by S.I. 2012/2184, art. 2(a); s. 31(1)-(8)(10) in force so far as not already in force at 1.10.2012 by S.I. 2012/1569, art. 3(a)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/section/31",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:10:05.794452+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "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."
}