Sexual Orientation and Discrimination in Goods & Services

When is it unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of sexual orientation

Under the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 (in N Ireland, the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006), it is unlawful to discriminate:-

• by refusing to provide a person with goods, facilities or services, on the grounds of that person’s sexual orientation
• by refusing to provide a person with goods, facilities or services of the same quality as would be provided to the rest of the public, on the grounds of that person’s sexual orientation
• by refusing to provide a person with goods, facilities or services in the same way as they would be provided to the rest of the public, on the grounds of that person’s sexual orientation. For example, if a hairdresser normally gives discounted haircuts to pensioners, it would be unlawful if s/he refused to provide a discounted haircut to a pensioner because of the pensioner’s sexual orientation
• by refusing to provide a person with goods, facilities or services on the same terms as they would be provided to the rest of the public, on the grounds of that person’s sexual orientation.

However there are exeptions to the general principles outlined above that means that some goods and services are not covered by the law and there are some restrictions on what is treated as unlawful.