Equality and diversity
Source: gov.uk (2025-07-14)


Our duties under the Equality Act 2010

Under the Equality Act 2010 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contents), DCMS, has a duty to:

eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation

advance equality of opportunity

foster good relations between groups of people regardless of their age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, ethnicity, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation or marriage and civil partnership status

Our responsibilities

DCMS has statutory equality responsibilities in England, Scotland and Wales under the Equality Act 2010, and in Northern Ireland under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. Our compliance is monitored by the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.

DCMS is a ministerial department, supported by 42 agencies and public bodies (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations#department-for-culture-media-and-sport).

Equality and diversity are critical to delivering DCMS’s values. We are a team of people who strive for the best, work as one, act with kindness, and learn and grow together. It is through doing this that we will not only create the best possible version of DCMS, but help to drive change that transforms the country for the better.

DCMS Equality, Diversity and Inclusion key strategic themes 2025 to 2030

We are committed to making DCMS a model employer, setting the standard for inclusive workplaces. To do this, we will ensure that the right people, with the right skills and experience, can grow, and thrive here. We will create an environment that challenges and supports our people, prioritises wellbeing, amplifies diverse voices, and fosters respect and tolerance.

We will take a thoughtful and proactive approach to inclusion throughout every stage of the employee lifecycle, tracking progress, driving improvements, and celebrating achievements. Our approach includes the following equality objectives:

Prioritising inclusion while eliminating bullying, harassment, and discrimination. Leaders will be provided with the necessary tools to address these issues effectively. Progress will be measured through People Survey data.

Enhancing representation at senior levels for underrepresented groups by supporting junior staff through targeted career interventions and piloting a sponsorship programme. Success will be tracked using workforce data.

Advancing our Equality Act objectives by fostering a more inclusive environment where employees with disabilities can thrive, improving both understanding and support. This will be measured through People Survey and workforce data.

Remaining committed to annual pay gap reports and equity audits, continuously refining diverse recruitment and promotion practices, and ensuring flexible working policies support employees at all stages of their careers.

All DCMS staff have access to guidance regarding their obligations under the Equality Act 2010. Information and training is available to support the application of the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), providing staff with access to relevant information, best practice, and compliance requirements.

Publications on equality and diversity

Gender pay gap

We publish reports which summarise the difference between the average salary of women and men in DCMS.

DCMS gender pay gap report 2020 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dcms-gender-pay-gap-201920)

DCMS gender pay gap report 2021 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dcms-gender-pay-gap-2021/dcms-gender-pay-gap-report-2021)

DCMS gender pay gap report 2022 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dcms-gender-pay-gap-report-2022/dcms-gender-pay-gap-report-2022)

DCMS gender pay gap report 2023 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dcms-gender-pay-gap-report-2023/dcms-gender-pay-gap-report-2023)

DCMS gender pay gap report 2024 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dcms-gender-pay-gap-report-2024/dcms-gender-pay-gap-report-2024)

Disability Confident

DCMS is recognised as being a Disability Confident Leader (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/disability-confident-campaign). This assessment demonstrates the departmental commitment to attracting, recruiting and retaining disabled people, and supporting them in the workplace to achieve their full potential.

Civil Service people survey

DCMS contributes to the annual Civil Service people survey. Read the results for our most recent People Surveys here:

Civil Service People Survey Results 2024 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-people-survey-2024-results/civil-service-people-survey-2024-results-highlights)

Civil Service People Survey Results 2023 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-people-survey-2023-results/civil-service-people-survey-2023-results-highlights)

Northern Ireland

Developed to meet our statutory obligations under the Northern Ireland Disability Discrimination Act 1995, our Disability Action Plan 2024 to 2027 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmrc-disability-action-plan-2024-to-2027) demonstrates our continued commitment to improve the experience for our disabled colleagues and customers throughout the UK.