Government launches call for evidence to break down barriers to opportunity at work
Source: gov.uk (2025-04-07)

A new call for evidence [launched today] will enable business, trade unions and civil society to shape action helping everyone, no matter their background, to thrive under the government's Plan for Change.

Responses will support consideration of a range of areas, including steps to make the right to equal pay effective for women, people from ethnic minority groups, and disabled people.

This call for evidence is one of several exercises which will help shape the measures included in the draft Equality (Race and Disability) Bill which will be published this session. This follows the recently launched mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting consultation, which closes on 10 June.

Minister for Equalities, responsible for race and ethnicity policy, Seema Malhotra MP said:

I am pleased to announce the launch of a call for evidence on equality law, an important step in this government’s Plan for Change.

Our goal is to understand how we can better remove barriers to opportunity and boost household incomes across the country so people can achieve according to their talents, irrespective of their backgrounds.

The government wants to hear from anyone with relevant evidence – from expert bodies, employers, disabled people’s organisations and civil society to trade unions, public authorities and those with expertise by experience – on a number of areas of equality policy, including:
- the prevalence of pay discrimination on the basis of race and disability
- making the right to equal pay effective for ethnic minority and disabled people
- measures to ensure that outsourcing of services can no longer be used by employers to avoid paying equal pay
- improving the enforcement of equal pay rights by establishing an Equal Pay Regulatory and Enforcement Unit, with the involvement of trade unions
- improving pay transparency
- strengthening protections against combined discrimination
- ensuring the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) is met by all parties exercising public functions
- creating and maintaining workplaces and working conditions free from sexual harassment for all
- commencing the socio-economic duty
This will make sure policies are shaped by a range of expertise and help open opportunities to all.

Minister for Social Security and Disability, Stephen Timms MP said:

I’m proud to support this call for evidence, which will help inform the Equality (Race and Disability) Bill in line with the government’s manifesto commitment to put disabled people’s views and voices at the heart of all we do.

I encourage people to take part and help shape plans that boost individual opportunity for disabled people, increase household incomes and support businesses in employing the best person for the job.

The call for evidence will run for 12 weeks and end on 30 June 2025. It will ensure we break down barriers to opportunity and drive up household income for everyone, making work pay in an economy where everyone can succeed.

British Sign Language (BSL) version of this press release

## Government launches call for evidence to break down barriers to opportunity at work (BSL) (https://youtu.be/rwQcy_2xMWM)

Notes to editors:

Please see quotes from key stakeholders below:

Founder of Small Business Britain and Adviser to government’s Board of Trade, Michelle Ovens CBE, said:

We welcome the government’s approach to the road ahead for the UK - the focus on breaking down barriers that have historically held people back, especially during a long and economically difficult few years, is extremely important. We know that for example a third of disabled business owners choose entrepreneurship due to the fact that workplaces are not equitable. Choice and opportunity should be accessible to all, and we look forward to collaborating closely on opening up pathways into work.

Chief People and Inclusion Officer at the Co-op, Claire Costello, said:

For the Co-op promoting equality is fundamental to how we do business. We believe it’s the right thing to do and a way to promote economic growth. Our Social Mobility campaign has focused on the impact we believe socioeconomic background can have on individual life chances.

15 years on from the introduction of the Equality Act in 2010, we welcome this call for evidence as an opportunity to consider what more as a society we must all do. This is an important moment for everyone to contribute and ensure that whoever you are and wherever you’re from doesn’t determine what you can become.

Chief Executive Officer of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), Ann Francke OBE, said:

This is a welcome step in improving conditions for people working across the UK economy, breaking down barriers and creating workplaces where everyone can thrive.

CMI welcomes the government’s collaborative approach in working alongside employers to get this right. The key will be ensuring that leaders and managers have the skills they need to deliver inclusive workplaces that treat individuals fairly and deliver better outcomes.

CMI’s report on the subject, Filling in the Gaps, found that those firms that do the work of tackling inequality in their ranks retain their talent and deliver for their shareholders.

We look forward to working closely with the government to ensure managers and leaders are equipped with the skills they need to navigate these important pieces of legislation.

Chief Executive at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, Peter Cheese, said:

Strong equality policies are key to a resilient economy, benefiting both employers and employees in a changing labour market. We welcome the UK government’s call for evidence on its equalities reform programme to shape equality law and help build fair, inclusive workplaces where everyone can thrive. By working together, we can develop evidence-based reforms that can drive performance and enhance equality of outcomes for all.

Strategic Advisor at Jaguar Landrover, Barbara Bergmeier, said:

JLR is focused on making JLR an even more rewarding and fulfilling place to work for everyone. We are taking positive steps in the right direction and are committed to open and transparent pay gap reporting but there is more to do. We welcome the government’s willingness to engage with business on this important topic so we can continue to make progress and break down barriers.

Head of Purpose at KERB Food, Priya Narain, said:

At KERB, we recognise the critical need to tackle harassment within the hospitality industry, where team members, particularly women and those from underrepresented backgrounds, often face unique vulnerabilities due to the nature of customer-facing roles. We welcome the Office for Equality and Opportunity’’s focus on strengthening protections against third-party harassment and exploring measures to ensure all employees, including interns and volunteers, are safeguarded.

Through our initiatives, including enhanced training, clear reporting pathways, and our commitment to the Women’s Night Safety Charter, we have seen firsthand the importance of proactive employer-led action. However, to drive meaningful sector-wide change, it is essential that businesses are equipped with clear, practical guidance on their responsibilities and that employees have confidence in the protections available to them.

We fully support this call for evidence as a necessary step in shaping policy that is both effective and workable for businesses and employees alike. We look forward to contributing our insights and continuing to engage with policymakers to ensure hospitality is a safer and more inclusive industry for all.

Race Equality Director at Business in the Community, Sandra Kerr CBE, said:

I am delighted that the Government has launched its consultation into ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting, with the intention to introduce mandatory reporting for all large businesses. Business in the Community has been campaigning for mandatory ethnicity pay gap reporting for many years because we believe that all employees should be entitled to fair and equal pay and opportunities for progression. Having seen the successes of gender pay gap reporting for businesses and employees across the UK, I hope that these successes can be used to shape the implementation of ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting. It is also encouraging to see that the Government is looking to address the barriers faced by those experiencing combined discrimination, based on a combination of protected characteristics. It is critical that government and business work together to make sure these laws work for everyone, so that we can break down these barriers to opportunity once and for all and ensure that no one is left behind.