These are tough times if you are looking for help with a discrimination issue.
Access to justice enables us to realise our rights to freedom and fairness.
But as our report Is Britain Fairer? found, we have seen a marked backwards move over the past few years.
We welcome the recent government decision to make changes to the legal aid system. However, the impact of restrictions on legal aid, tribunal fees (now repealed), and funding cuts to advice services have severely reduced people’s ability to solve their problems when their rights are breached.
That is why we’ve developed EHRC Adviser Support, to help enhance the capacity and capability of the advice sector to deal with equality and human rights issues.
As part of the project we commissioned Citizens Advice to produce practical toolkits on housing discrimination and workplace discrimination for advisers. The toolkits will also be useful for individuals looking for guidance to help them with their own circumstances.
The toolkits can help advisers and individuals to:
- understand how equality law works
- identify or rule out unlawful discrimination
- write a complaint or a grievance letter
- take a case to court or tribunal
They explain what is covered by equality law and include many examples of discrimination.
They also include templates for letters, documents and forms which might be needed when pursuing a discrimination case.
The toolkit on discrimination in housing complements our guides relating to accessible and adaptable housing.
