Religion and Belief Guidance for Managers - July 2026

1. Introduction

The Authority celebrates and values the diversity of its community. As part of its commitment to equality and diversity and to creating a tolerant and inclusive workforce, the Authority recognises it is important that everyone is treated with equal dignity and respect, which includes respect for their religious or other beliefs This guidance aims to help Managers understand how to comply with legislation when recognising and managing the expression of a religion or belief in the workplace.

The Equality Act 2010 outlaws:

• Direct discrimination - treating people less favourably than others on grounds of religion or belief.

• Indirect discrimination - applying a provision, criterion or practice which disadvantages people of a particular religion or belief and which is not justified as ‘a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim’.

• Harassment - unwanted conduct that violates people's dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.

• Victimisation - treating people less favourably because of a protected act e.g., a formal complaint of discrimination or given evidence in a tribunal case.

The Equality Act also introduces the provisions of discrimination by perception and discrimination by association. In other words, it is unlawful to discriminate against someone because you perceive them to have a particular religion or belief, regardless of whether or not they hold that belief e.g., believing that someone with an Asian name is a Muslim and treating them less favourably as a result. Likewise, it is illegal to discriminate against someone because they are associated with someone who holds a particular religion or belief e.g., if someone was married to a Christian and they were treated less favourably because of this.

Religion or belief can be defined as:

Any religious belief provided the religion has a clear structure or belief system. Denominations or sects within a religion can be considered a protected religion or religious belief.

It is as unlawful to discriminate against a person for not holding a particular (or any) religious or philosophical belief as it is to discriminate against someone for holding a religious or philosophical belief.

Discrimination can occur even when both the discriminator and person being discriminated against hold the same religious or philosophical belief.

Behaviour that offends, intimidates, is hostile, degrading or humiliating towards another person based on their faith or faith practice or assumptions about the same will constitute harassment and may be cause for disciplinary action.

To be protected under the Equality Act 2010, a religion or belief must be recognised as being cogent, serious, cohesive and compatible with human dignity. Political beliefs are specifically excluded. The Act also protects people without a religion or belief. Listed below are some of the most practiced religions and beliefs in Britain. However, there are many more and this list should not be considered exhaustive:

• Atheism

• Baha’i

• Buddhism

• Christianity

• Hinduism

• Humanism

• Islam (Muslims)

• Jainism

• Judaism

• Rastafarianism

• Sikhism

• Zoroastrians (parsi)