Equality impact assessment


An equality impact assessment is a process designed to ensure that a policy, project or scheme does not discriminate against any disadvantaged or vulnerable people.

Definition

The EqIA process aims to prevent discrimination against people who are categorised as being disadvantaged or vulnerable within society. These categories are called equality target groups and are currently designated by the Greater London Authority as:
Previous EqIAs have included other categories of people such as people on low incomes and gypsies and Irish Travellers.
Within the UK, EqIAs are still popular as a means of ensuring that the public-sector equality duty is met. On 19 November 2012, prime minister David Cameron announced that EqIAs would no longer be undertaken for government decisions.