Skip to main content
Open consultation

Equal pay and pay discrimination

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

Summary

We are seeking views on how we can comprehensively reform the pay discrimination framework so that it works better for workers, businesses and the justice system.

This consultation closes at

Consultation description

The Office for Equality and Opportunity is seeking views on how we can deliver a comprehensive reform of the current equal pay framework so that it works better for workers, businesses, and the justice system.

We are seeking views on proposals to fix the areas of the system that are currently falling short. We are also seeking views on how we can address gaps and inconsistencies in the framework currently affecting disabled people, those from ethnic minority groups, and outsourced workers. 

We are inviting responses from anyone interested in or affected by these issues. We particularly welcome views from those who may be most affected by the different measures relating to pay discrimination policy, including:

  • employers
  • trade unions
  • public sector bodies
  • women’s sector, race and disability stakeholders 
  • legal experts and practitioners, including HR and pay and reward specialists
  • individuals with lived experience of pay discrimination

The responses to this consultation will be used to inform our next steps.

How to respond

We encourage you to respond online if possible.

Please read the consultation document.

Then submit your responses online.

Please email equalpayconsultation@cabinetoffice.gov.uk if:

  • you would like to respond via email
  • you have any other enquiries specifically relating to this consultation including requests for the document in an alternative format

If you would like to respond by post, please mark your correspondence ‘equal pay consultation response’ and send it to the postal address.

If you have any complaints or comments about the consultation process you should contact the Cabinet Office

If you are filling out this survey on behalf of another person

You may complete this survey for someone else – for example, to assist someone who requested an alternative format. If you do this:

  • you must have their explicit consent to do so
  • you must consult with them directly throughout the process to ensure the answers accurately reflect their views
  • you must not guess or assume the answers to any demographic questions (such as sex, age, ethnicity and experience of long-term conditions or illnesses) – the person you are assisting must select their own categories, and you should only record the specific options they choose 

Extra copies and alternative formats

Alternative formats of this consultation are available in the Documents section, including:

  • HTML
  • web-accessible PDF
  • large print

The following alternative formats will be published on this page as soon as possible:

  • Easy Read
  • British Sign Language (BSL) 
  • Welsh Translation

The duration of this consultation has been extended to 15 weeks to account for these alternative formats being published later.

You can sign up to get emails about this page when these alternative formats are published.

Please contact us for paper copies or alternative formats of this consultation document.

Braille and Audio CD are also available on request. 

Requests for alternative formats can be made via post, email or telephone at 0808 175 6420.

Documents

Consultation document (HTML)

Consultation document (PDF)

Consultation document (large print)

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email accessible.formats@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Updates to this page

Published 14 July 2026

Sign up for emails or print this page