Equality Impact Analysis (EIA)
What is an Equality Impact Analysis?
An Equality Impact Analysis is an analysis of a proposed change to assess whether it has a disproportionate impact on people who share a protected characteristic.
The council undertakes Equality Impact Analysis on significant changes to policy or services that could have a disproportionate impact on individuals or groups that share a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010.
Why do we undertake Equality Impact Analysis?
The Equality Act 2010 introduced the Public Sector Equality Duty. This requires all public bodies, including local authorities, to have due regard to the need to:
- Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Act
- Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not
- Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.
It may also be appropriate to consider the impact of the proposal on other groups not ‘protected ‘under the Equality Act including parents/carers and/or socio-economic groups.
1. It helps the council meet our Public Sector Equality Duty by:
- Identifying any equality impacts on people who share a protected characteristic
- Identifying any differences in impact between different groups
- Identifying opportunities to advance equality within the council
- Encouraging officers to consider equality issues within their service.
2. It helps the council put its equality policy into practice by:
- Advancing equality of opportunity by undertaking equality analysis to assess the impact of our decisions on our community.
3. It helps inform the decision making process by:
- Identifying alternative approaches, which may mitigate any negative impacts and help promote greater equality of services.
How do we undertake Equality Impact Analysis?
In Tower Hamlets we undertake Equality Impact Analysis by working through a number of questions in templated forms:
- The first set of questions is called the Equality Impact Screening Tool and is designed to help council officers decide if a full Equality Impact Analysis needs to be carried out.
- If the decision is taken that a full Equality Impact Analysis is required then you will use the Equality Impact Analysis.
What evidence do we use?
It is important to use up to date data when drafting Equality Impact Analysis. Data used should be both quantitative and qualitative.
Quantitative data refers to numbers and can include demographic, income and attainment data.
The Intelligence and Performance Team have collated a set of borough statistics available here which you should use in the development of your Equality Impact Analysis.
Qualitative data refers to the experience of the individuals from their perspective.
This type of data is most commonly collected through consultations, focus groups, review of complaints made, user feedback and interviews.
Service data in also a valuable evidence source when carrying out an Equality Impact Analysis and will work to provide an insight into the users who utilise the service impacted by the proposal and their views.
Service data can include but is not limited to the following:
- service users equality monitoring data (more information on this is available here)
- information about stakeholders
- performance data
- survey results and feedback from service users.
Who is responsible for completing Equality Impact Analysis?
All council officers have some degree of responsibility for ensuring that Equality Impact Analysis are undertaken.
The Tower Hamlets Equality policy provides an outline of these roles and responsibilities.
The ‘completing officer’ is the owner of the Equality Impact Analysis, but will at times rely on other teams and officers within the council to provide evidence and information where required.
The service the proposal relates to will lead on the Equality Impact Analysis but Strategy, Policy and Performance officers within directorates are responsible for offering support and guidance to colleagues in completing these.
Do we publish Equality Impact Analysis?
Equality Impacts Analysis should be attached to each report where there is a public decision. A list of meetings including agendas, reports and minutes are available on our council and democracy page.